Cipher
by Tabitha of MoonAurora
Summary: When an ex-cop is found dead in Central Park one afternoon, Detective Kate Beckett and Author Rick Castle are called in to investigate. But what happens when the case strikes close to Kate's heart? Mystery/Romance/Drama
1. Chapter 1

Kate Beckett sat looking through what seemed to be endless amounts of paperwork that had been left to be filled out during the cases. Since there was currently no case, there was no need to babysit Castle, but without the fully-grown eight year-old to watch, she had to admit that life would be more interesting if Castle were there. She didn't look up when her door opened; if the person wanted to speak with her they would have to do so to get her attention. The time passed and she began to think that she had just imagined the door opening. Unfortunately for her, she was wrong. She glanced at her cup of coffee and realized it was empty. She looked up and found herself inches away from Castle's face. She scowled but otherwise chose to ignore him. Kate picked up her coffee cup and walked into the break-room. She knew Castle would follow her because he didn't like to be ignored. Without thinking she filled up her coffee with the expresso machine.

"Ha!!" came Castle's triumphant cry from behind her.

She scowled and made her way back to the office, part of her wishing that the rest of her was not so adamant about disliking him. Castle of course followed her and dragged a chair into the room before sitting down beside her. He was now breathing down her neck, but Detective Kate Beckett was stubborn and no matter how much she wanted to she would not give in to his game. Now he was more like a dog than an eight year-old, she thought. Any kind of attention is good attention; he even seemed to like the negative attention. Her phone rang.

"Beckett," she answered after flipping the phone open.

"Do we have a body?" Castle asked and she shot him a glare.

"Wait," Kate said, "What do you mean?"

She paused, her mouth slightly open as she took in what Lanie had said.

"No, I'll be there. I just have to…" Her voice trailed off and she snapped her phone shut.

Kate looked down at her desk for a moment her sight slightly clouded by her emotions. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying in front of Castle, something she knew she would never live down. Hurriedly, she slipped her jacket on and made her way to the women's room. She leaned back against the sink. She could feel her chest constricting as she let the tears fall.

"Why," she choked quietly her hands running over her father's watch, "Why him?"

"Kate!" she heard Castle yell from outside the door, "Kate, do we have a case or not?"

She made her way to the door after she wiped the tears out of her eyes and opened the door.

"Castle, if you have any pride in your appearance, don't push me," Kate glared at him her voice dangerously close to breaking.

She saw Castle get a curious look on his face and hoped he'd have the tact not to ask. At least he seemed to have some sense of her emotions because, for once, he didn't speak. She made her way to the car quickly trying to focus on the fact that she had another case and that she was at work. This was just like any other homicide. It was just one of the "freaky ones" that she liked. She slid into the seat of the car and put the keys in the ignition. Castle got into the passenger seat and stared straight forward for a while as they pulled out of the precinct and onto the road. Kate kept her gaze focused on the road in front of her. She could feel Castle's eyes on her observing her.

"What, Castle?" She turned her gaze on him for a moment before looking away from him again not wanting the man to see her pain.

"Kate," he started.

"I told you to call me Beckett," She snapped at him.

"Kate, what are we investigating?" He asked.

"A man was found dead in Central Park this morning. I don't know all the details. He used to be a cop at the precinct. He was from Manhattan," She replied working impossibly hard to keep her voice even.

"Manhattan?" Castle asked.

"Yes, Manhattan, Castle. Do I need to repeat everything twice for you?" She turned to him for a moment and then focused on the road again.

Castle didn't reply but she could tell he was still looking at her. Now she chose to ignore him emptying her mind so she thought of nothing but the cars around her. She felt a tear run down her cheek but flicked it away in annoyance. _Why him?_ She thought again.

"Kate?"

"Castle!"

"Are you alright?" Castle asked.

Kate didn't answer. She'd chosen to ignore him again. Her phone wrung again.

"Beckett," she answered. She paused for a moment to listen.

"I'm taking the case, Esposito! Don't try to talk me out of it. I can deal with it. The least I can do is make sure this doesn't end up another cold case. I'm going to bring to justice whoever did this. I can…" She stopped for a moment as she noticed Castle was staring at her again and she flicked a few tears away from her cheeks.

"What, Castle?!" she yelled at him. He looked away immediately.

"Esposito, I'm coming, and no amount of your concern is going to stop me. I will be the detective on this case!" She snapped her phone shut before the man on the other side could say anything else.

Everything seemed to be in a fog. She could feel her heart physically hurting. _How could this have happened? I knew he had some enemies; anyone in the police force picks up enemies especially if they're in narcotics like he was. I suppose it's just something you don't expect to happen until it does. _She was running over everything she knew about him thinking about those he'd offended or taken into custody. _Why couldn't she think of anything?!_

"Beckett!" Castle yelled.

Kate slammed her foot onto the break realizing she'd almost driven through the red light. Castle flew forward out of his seat, his head colliding with the windshield and his stomach hitting the dashboard.

"Wow, do you think you could do that a little more carefully next time?" Castle complained.

"What did you want me to do, drift halfway into a New York City intersection? Wear a seat belt Castle," she snapped back, irritated at herself and him.

"You are really distracted today, Beckett," Castle commented.

She didn't comment but rather glared at the traffic light as it turned green. She lifted her hand to her forehead for a moment trying to think of anything but this investigation. She turned into the park and drove to the crime scene. The yellow tape was everywhere tied from trees to lamppost to benches and then back to the trees. Kate stopped the car and slowly got out. She ducked under the tape and walked to where Lanie knelt beside the body of a man lying on his stomach face down.

"Beckett's here," she heard someone announce but it was not the same tone as it usually was. Somehow it seemed reluctant as though the other detectives would prefer her not to have appeared. Lanie stood and walked over to her.

"Are you sure you want to see this? You don't have to take the case, someone else can always…"

"Lanie you're a good friend but I need this," Kate paused and glanced over the ME's shoulder, "I can't go home and become like all those other victims families. I can't sit around wallowing in grief knowing that there's something I could be doing."

Lanie looked at her for a moment seemingly unconvinced and then said, "Fine."

She stepped aside and Kate made her way to the man's body. She knelt down for a moment and noticed that there was something written in dotted letters on the inside of his wrist and forearm.

"Lanie, did you notice this?" She asked trying her best to sound unaffected.

Lanie walked over to her and tilted his wrists upward. What seemed to be a code was scrawled there. There were many different figures all seeming to pertain to something in nature. The writing was not solid but rather seemed to be made of dots. There three rows of them too.

"Whoa," Castle had come up and knelt beside them. He was now staring at them in awe.

"We'll have to roll him over and see what is on the rest of his body."

"Do you have a C.O.D. yet?" Castle asked.

"I wasn't allowed to turn him over until Beckett arrived. There are no indications of trauma on his visible skin. I'm assuming that if there is any evidence of the cause of death it will either be under the clothes or visible on his front." The ME answered.

"Are you positive of his identity?" Kate asked her professional voice slipping for a moment.

"Esposito," Lanie turned to him and held her hand out.

Kate watched as Esposito handed a wallet to Lanie. Lanie opened the wallet and handed it to her. She looked down at the license.

"Thomas Karl Beckett," she whispered almost too quietly for anyone but her to hear.

"Wait…" Castle spoke, "This is your… Dad?"

Kate looked up at him for a moment and then turned back to the body. Lanie gave her a questioning look and when she nodded gestured to a couple other people. She began to roll the body over so his face was upward. She had to turn her face away now. Kate couldn't look into her father's face, see him lying there in the grass like so many of the other victims she'd worked on.

"He has a sharp blow to the right temple but it doesn't appear severe enough to kill him," The ME commented, "I can't see anything on him but that… wait," Lanie reached out and grasped his wrist where there appeared to be a accidental red dot instead of the black dotted figures over his arms, "This small wound here looks as though it was caused by a needle,"

Kate looked now, at the small red dot among all the black more intently. It did indeed look as though it had been made by a needle.

"Alright, let's get him into a bag and take him to the lab. There's more to this than there seems to be," the ME ordered.

Kate turned around and made her way quickly back toward the car. She leaned against it trying to control her anger. She balled her hands into fists inside the pockets of her red coat and stared in absolute determination at the ground.

(Later)

Kate sat at her desk looking aimlessly at her computer screen. "Microsoft" bounced off the imaginary walls inside the window. She hardly noticed anything around her. She was so tired. It was three AM and she'd still not left. She thought if she left she might not have the will to come back. If that were to be the case then her father's murder would not be solved. Of course that wasn't entirely true; someone else probably would but she wouldn't have the satisfaction of successfully putting away her father's killer. She stood and walked over to the murder board. In the top left corner there was a picture of her father in his cop's uniform. There was nothing else there but for a few notes about the figures they'd found covering his arms.

Kate opened one of the pens and began to write. With each new name she added was added another story. How had she managed to start thinking like Castle? First she wrote down his enemies, then his friends, and then the people he had convicted. A name in the list leapt out at her, Marvin Whitting. She vaguely remembered it. It was on both the friends and the enemies list. That would be her first stop tomorrow.

Kate moved back to her computer and opened up the police files to see if he had a record. She carefully typed in the name. There was a note about drug dealing but there had been no conviction. Nothing else came up but a D.U.I. charge from six years previously. Still, from that she might be able to find out where he lived. She opened the file. It took some searching but finally she came across the address. He had or did live in the Bronx. She made her way back to the rooms where the precinct kept files on all of their cases. She was driven by a curiosity and anger she didn't know she had. It was her mother's case file that she was after. If she was going to look into her father's murder than she may as well look into her mother's too. Kate leafed through the files and pulled out all of the "B" "E"'s. She carried them back to her desk where she began to read the headings on them and look at the pictures on the fronts of the folders.

(Castle's Apartment)

"You've been extremely quiet tonight," Alexis walked into the room, "Did you watch your 'inspiration' do paperwork again today. Even then you usually have something to say. What's up?"

"We have a new case," Castle replied to his daughter still staring at his computer.

"Do tell. It does not seem as though it is very interesting if this is the way you are reacting to it. What's wrong?" his daughter inquired.

"An Ex-cop was killed," Castle replied.

"Uh-hum?"

"His name was Thomas Karl Beckett," Castle looked up from his computer and at his daughter.

"Related to Detective Kate Beckett, I'm assuming."

"Her father," he replied.

Alexis was staring back at her father with a bit of surprise in her eyes.

"We're working the case," Castle said.

"She's the detective of her own father's murder?" Alexis replied in shock.

"Yes,"

"Why?"

"Her mother was killed and they never solved the murder," Castle explained to his daughter and then stared into the folder in his lap. He picked it up and showed it to her, "This," he paused, "is her case file."

"You are working on her mother's case. Is that why you have been writing less frequently?"

"How do you know I've been writing less?"

"Usually if you're writing a lot you insist upon telling me things I don't want to know," Alexis looked at him, "Plus I can usually here you tapping away on your computer in the next room. Lately that's stopped."

Castle smiled at her for a moment before returning to a look of absolute concentration.

"How did you get that anyway? I thought you had to be a cop to review old cases," his daughter continued her interrogation.

"You would make a very good reporter," Castle commented, "You do have to be a cop to review old cases."

"You stole something else. I thought you only stole evidence,"

"Well nothing's beyond me, plus one of the other detectives gave it to me," Castle set the folder on his desk.

"So, how far have you gotten on solving it?" Alexis asked.

"I haven't had much luck, there's a reason it became a cold case."

"What was to COD?"

"You've been listening to me too much,"

"COD is not that uncommon a term,"

"Really, I haven't heard it that much in medical shows or cop shows," Castle argued.

"You use it in your books," Alexis pointed out, "And in any case I want to know how she died."

"The cops that found her decided it was gang violence. She was stabbed to death. They said that without evidence or leads as to who had done it, it would be nearly impossible for them to find out who the killer was," Castle answered.

"They didn't even really investigate?"

"No, they threw together a file and looked through some records. Then it got put on the back burner and the killer went free,"

"Dad," Alexis came closer and looked at him.

"What?" he looked up and saw that she seemed worried.

"Don't let it mess up your partnership," she advised.

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, Dad, do I really have to explain your own feelings to you?"

Castle raise an eyebrow.

"Either you really like police work, or you really like Detective Beckett, and personally I don't think it's the former," Alexis fixed him with the teenagers "you really can't be that blind look" before turning to leave.

"Do you really think I'm going to let you get away with analyzing me?" he reached out and grabbed her elbow before spinning her around.

Alexis groaned and then leaned on the desk again.

"What's my punishment then?" she asked cheekily

"I get to analyze you," he grinned.

"Wow, you are really whacked," she commented in mocking exasperation.

"And I'm loving every minute of it," Castle replied.

"Alright, make your analysis so I can get to bed," Alexis sighed

"You, my dear daughter, have a boyfriend," Castle gave her a smug smile.

"We're going to be here a while if you are going to pursue that subject,"

"Oh are we?"

"Only because you won't stop asking questions," Alexis stood and walked out of the room.

"We are not done talking about this. I want to meet him. Sometime…" Castle sat back down and stared at his computer. He'd written nothing, absolutely nothing.

(The Next Morning)

"Beckett?"

Kate opened her eyes and lifted her head from her desk. Actually it was not her desk but rather a large stack of folders. She looked around realizing just how stiff her neck was. Sitting up, she put her hand on the back of her neck and rubbed it for a moment.

"So this is how you look when you get up in the morning,"

The detective groaned as she realized who had woken her. She placed her hand on top of the pile of folders and then looked at the other folder on her desk. The words didn't make sense to her. _Why was her father's name on one of her case files?_ That was when, with a shock she remembered. Kate lifted a hand to her mouth for a moment before recalling why she had been looking through files last night. She also knew from her early morning recollections tha she had not been able to find her mother's file.

"I can't find her," The detective turned her face toward Castles for a moment.

Suddenly, she wondered how he'd gotten in so early. She couldn't have been asleep for more than a few hours because the sun had still not risen and not even the captain had gotten there.

"You can't find who?" Castle asked with genuine concern in his voice that surprised her, but as he had said, he was a wise-ass, not a jack-ass.

"I can't find my mother's case file. There was something about my father's case that reminded me of hers but I can't remember what," She looked down at her desk and opened her father's file again. The answer was there somewhere.

"Your mother's… why would you look for that in relation to your father's case?"

"Something about his reminded me of hers, Castle. I just said that. Were you not listening? Why would you be so interested in why I wanted to find it anyway? You pounced on that far too quickly for you to think that it was anything but something you know about," she commented and the look on Castle's face told her exactly what she needed to know.

Kate wasn't sure what to think. Everything was spinning around in her mind too fast for her to digest. Her father was dead, murdered and she was the detective on his case, solving his case. Her… shadow had something to do with the reason she couldn't find her mother's folder and she'd been up most of the night trying to remember every enemy her father had ever had.

"Castle, you better give me a good reason for why I can't find my mother's case file," She stood up, losing her temper in her confusion, and grabbed the front of his shirt.

Castle actually seemed scared this time, but she released him and backed away to at least allow him to explain before she killed him.

"Do you remember when you explained to me what happened to you, when you explained to me that it was you mother and not your father that was killed?" Castle started.

"Of course I remember that. I remember just about every case I've ever had," she replied to him narrowing her eyes, "That was Melanie Cavana, the mother who was murdered by her husband, and then frozen for five years before being dumped at a construction site."

Castle blinked for a moment, "I went to Esposito after you left and asked him to give me your mother's file."

"Why would you find it necessary to do that?"

"I had thought that I might be able to make some headway on it but so far I've found nothing,"

For a moment Kate looked at him, wondering why he was being this honest with her. She supposed it was because this time she actually had just lost someone very close to her. She thought about him for a few seconds before turning away from him and looking at the board. The detective heard the man let out a relieved breath before he commented on the nature of the board.

"Did you do all this last night?" he asked.

"I made a list of the people we should located and possibly talk to. I couldn't get my mind to rest last night so I did this instead," Kate replied quietly.

Something closed around her hand and she looked down to see Castle had taken it. Startled, she looked at him, but he either did not notice her gaze or ignored it.

"Why is this Marvin Whitting on both the friends and enemies list?" Castle asked pointing at the name with his other hand.

She turned her gaze back to the board and considered her answer.

"I was never sure where he and my father were. Sometimes they were on friendly terms and others they weren't speaking. As I recall, Marvin had a problem with drugs and my father arrested him for dealing. He was able to miraculously go free and then asked my father for help. As far as I know, he made a couple big mistakes after that. Most of those were related to drugs, as far as I know. I think he was never able to fully break the habit." She narrated to Castle.

He nodded, "I think if we go to see anyone first it will be him."

"He was the first stop on my list for today," Kate looked at the board again, "Anthony Ponly was a smuggler from Cuba. Father arrested him the year before my mother died. He was convicted but I'm not sure whether he has been released. He is the next person for me to check up on."

"You seem to have given this a good deal of thought. How late were you up last night?"

"It depends, what's the time?" the detective looked away from the board and at the man beside her. He lifted his right hand and shook back his sleeve.

"It's… six o-clock." Castle answered.

"Then I was awake until four at least," Kate replied.

"You should get some sleep then," Castle advised, "I'll drive you back to my apartment and you can sleep there. I'll have breakfast ready when you get up."

Kate narrowed her eyes again and scowled at him, "I won't be able to get any adequate sleep until I catch the murderer who killed my father. That won't change whether I'm here, at my apartment, or at your's." She lowered her eyes to the floor for a moment as her emotions hit her again.

The light seemed to be slowly filtering through the doors from the street outside. It cast a grey glow into the precinct hallway. Kate looked toward the door has she heard the sound of a car. The brakes brought it to a stop and then the sound of another car being put in park came from outside. The door opened and Ryan and Esposito's voices echoed down the hallway.

a/n- dramatic beginning. I hope I did the character's justice. Everyone was to a certain extent OOC but consider the circumstances. Kate's dad is dead. He was murdered and now they are working his case. I thought it would make and interesting twist as well as case. Please tell me what you think.

Tabitha

P.S. this is my first TV show fic. Cut me some slack. I'll try to update as fast as possible but I'm very busy right now. And yes this will eventually be a Beckett/Castle fic but for now I'm just giving you hints.


	2. Chapter 2

"Beckett? Castle?" Esposito's voice cut across their thoughts on the case.

"Morning, Esposito," Kate answered without looking physically acknowledging him. She moved her right hand slightly to alert Castle to the fact that he was holding it. The author beside her released it and moved it into his lap.

"Morning Esposito," he too greeted.

"Have you been here all night?" he asked.

"No," Castle replied far too quickly for her liking. Still she didn't take her eyes off the board.

Kate heard the footsteps making their way over to join them in front of the board.

"You've made a lot of headway, Beckett," Ryan commented.

"It helps that I already knew all of this," she bit her lip as a lump started in her throat threatening to make her voice break.

Ryan seemed to realize his mistake because he didn't make any more comments as he spoke again. Esposito joined them staring at the board.

"Who do you find the most likely suspect?" Ryan asked.

"I put Whitting at the top of the suspects list. He'd always been on and off with my father. I never knew whether they were friends or not," Kate answered.

"Alright we'll go once we know more about all of these…" Esposito started.

"You'll go?" she interrupted, "I am going to be the one interviewing our suspects."

"Are you…" Castle stopped mid-question.

"Esposito, check the list of his friends. Find their current locations, their current employments and whether there is any reason for them to be hostile towards our vic. Ryan, do the same for the convicts," She paused and looked at Castle, "Find something to do that won't embarrass me or make me want to kill you. I'll handle the enemies."

Kate Beckett seated herself at her desk and opened the police files.

"Batreus, is a negative," voiced Ryan, "He's been dead for three years. Some other con got into a fight with him. He came off on the losing end."

Kate stood and picked up the marker from the tray at the base of the board. She drew a line threw the name. As she ended the line she saw a word she'd almost forgotten was even related to the case. How could she forget such an important detail? Clearly, it would lead to an important fact of the case.

"After you are done narrowing down which are still alive and have a record of being in the area for at least the last two days make a note of those who would have any knowledge of a code. Those with a background for studies in subterfuge and anonymity or historical references," Kate ordered.

(Later)

"Beckett?" it was Castle, she knew that voice by now it having tormented her for what seemed like years but truly had only been a few weeks.

She'd been eating what was left of her sandwich from the previous day when her father's death finally caught up with her. Then she'd made her way as unobtrusively to the bathroom and broke down there her back leaning heavily against the door to keep anyone else from entering. She'd moved away from the door realizing that someone could probably here her if they were planning on coming into the bathroom and made her way over to the sink instead.

She was to the point where shock had worn off and there was no protection from how it felt. She couldn't deny that her father had meant much to her and she couldn't understand why anyone would want to kill a man that had helped the city so much. Then again, she couldn't understand how anyone could kill any of the victims whose cases she worked day after day to solve. Still, how could her father possibly be dead?

Kate heard the door open and swore under her breath. Why couldn't he just mind his own damn business?

"We have to go see… Beckett, you look awful," Castle seemed to be stunned.

"Thanks for your compassion and concern," She replied doing her best to still appear controlled, "What do we have to see, Castle?"

"The ME has the blood tests back. The results weren't good," Castle answered, "Kate," he started in a quieter voice, "are you sure you're alright?"

"Don't," she whispered, "call me Kate."

Castle seemed to shrink back a bit but still he didn't lose his air of supposed charm. He raised an eyebrow at her indicating he still wanted an answer. She gave him a glare and then made her way out of the bathroom. He followed right on her tail. The ME's office was in the farthest part of the precinct and so they were forced to walk the distance in a rather uncomfortable silence. On any normal day, she would have welcomed the peace, but today, when Castle was quiet out of respect, she almost wished for the wise-cracks that almost always came at her expense.

"Girl, how are you holding up?" Lanie asked.

"I'm fine Lanie," Kate answered her friend, "Let's just get on with your findings so we can wrap up this case."

"COD, was an overdose of heroin injected into his bloodstream through the large veins in the wrist. It took the blood immediately back to his heart which then pumped the blood to his brain." The ME explained.

"Wait, he died of a d-drug overdose? Heroin? He was in narcotics; he spent most of his life making sure people who had already ruined their lives were given a second chance. How would he end up with a drug overdose?" Kate stammered through the statements shock once again surprising her by coating everything with a haze.

"The overdose wasn't self-inflicted. That's where things could get tricky. The drug was put in through the veins in the wrist after he received the blow to the temple. Most likely, he was unconscious when the heroin was injected," Lanie explained.

Kate opened her mouth for a second and then closed it, "So it's a homicide staged to look like a suicide?"

"Maybe,"

"The only thing is, if the perp. was trying to make this look like a suicide, why would he write all over his wrists and arms? It's contradictory," Kate interjected, "It' seems as though he went through a lot of trouble for nothing."

Lanie raise her eyebrows at her in surprise. It seemed, she'd expected her to stay in shock a while longer, and though Kate didn't notice it, Castle had a similar reaction. She was keeping on her work face and remaining professional. It was another case and so it would be carried out as such until it was solved. Then maybe she'd give herself some time to grieve as she'd done with her mother. Still, keeping the ruse up that she was fine was hard.

"Do you have pictures of the writing by any chance?" Castle broke the loud silence.

"Of course, don't we always? That's what we do when we're working with the 'fr'… a case," Lanie amended.

Kate noticed she had been about to say the "freaky ones" but had changed it probably because of tact. There was a little bit of annoyance that came with the gesture but overwhelming that was the gratitude towards Lanie that she was not going to directly call her father's case such a name.

"Here," the Me picked up a few photos of the writing, "These are the best ones we have; hopefully they'll be good enough for reference."

"Thanks Lanie," Kate took the photos and turned to leave. Castle blocked her way.

"Castle," she glared at him, "move."

"But we're not done here," he replied and sidestepped her. He made his way over to the ME's folder and grasped something.

"Castle!"

"We should know the contents of his wallet. Am I right?" Castle held up a bag with a small black leather wallet in it.

Kate stood there for a moment just looking at him before turning and walking out of the morgue.

(Later)

"Where's Castle?" She leaned on Esposito's desk.

"He said there was something he needed to do about an hour ago. He still hasn't come back as far as I know,"

Kate closed her eyes for a moment in annoyance, "How are we supposed to make any headway if he's off doing his own thing? I have to go and interview Whitting which I told him when we were done with talking with Lanie. What could he possibly be doing that is so important?"

She crossed her arms and leaned back against her desk looking at the ceiling. The longer she had to wait the more likely it would be that she would breakdown again. She needed to keep busy.

"Beckett, you really don't have to work this hard," Esposito's voice cut through her thoughts, "I know that you are determined to make this case end with a conviction but you need to relax. It won't turn out like your mother's…"

"Where do you get off giving Castle her case file?"

"He told you about that?"

"I was looking for it last night and I mentioned that I couldn't find it. For some reason he decided to be honest for once," she replied still angry.

"You and Castle were here all night?"

"Don't change the subject!"

"Castle and you were here last night?" Ryan joined the conversation by rolling his chair over to Esposito's desk.

Kate put her foot on the front of his chair and straightened her leg so he rolled back out of the conversation.

"He came and asked me for it. It was after the Cavana murder and he was very intent on having it. Wouldn't take no for an answer. I made him promise he wouldn't tell you."

"I guess you learned to can't trust Castle,"

"Kate! There you are!"

She turned on him.

"I've got a present for you," he continued with his usual attempts to lighten the mood of an investigation.

"Where have you been?!" the detective was certain that a present from Castle was anything but good. He seemed to remember then why she was asking him about his whereabouts because his face changed from its attempt at looking charming and smug at the same time to looking charming and slightly anxious at the same time.

Kate looked him over and notice her was holding a thin folder that seemed to be a case file. She held out her hand for it and he handed it to her rather lamely. The picture on the front was not what she'd expected. It was her mother staring back at her now and not her father, whom she'd anticipated because Castle had such a record of pilfering evidence. There were a few seconds where she wasn't sure if she could breath, and then she sat down on the edge of her desk again.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Well, you wanted it this morning,"

"Castle, we don't have time for this, I told you that we were to go interrogate Whitting an hour ago. The longer we take to find the murderer the less chance we will," Kate put the folder down on her desk and grabbed her coat off the back of her chair, "Let's go Castle."

She made her way out the door and to the car sitting outside. It was raining, but she didn't notice. She heard Castle complaining behind her though.

(Later)

The house was white and surrounded by a small green lawn, there was evidence that some children seemed to live there which seemed odd to the detective because as she recall Marvin Whitting and his wife were older than her parents. Though, she reflected with a pang of sadness, that her parents would never reach that age. Her mother had not even reached 45. Kate closed her eyes for a moment entirely aware that Castle was, yet again, watching her. She slid her hand to the latch on the door and opened it before stepping out into the cold early spring air. The grass had that perfectly manicured color about it. Disregarding that, she made her way up to the door and wrung the bell. Castle was right behind her again breathing down her neck.

"Castle," she said in a voice only slightly louder than a whisper. He backed up.

Kate lifted her hand to the door knocker and slammed it three times against the door. It didn't take long for it to be answered.

"We're not looking for something to buy," a woman with graying black hair that hung just below her earlobes answered the door.

"Detective Kate Beckett NYPD," she held up her badge to indicate she spoke the truth and then continued, "We're here to ask Marvin Whitting a few questions involving the murder committed yesterday morning."

She watched as the woman's eyes widened for a moment and then narrowed. Suddenly, a smile of recognition crossed her face.

"Katie, Katie Beckett, is that you? You've grown up so much. The last time I saw you was several years ago when we buried your mother," The woman mused.

Kate ducked her head and walked out into the yard a little ways to gain control of herself again. She was breathing long and heavily so she wouldn't lose her grip on reason. Why did little thing like that set her off yet someone else could make a random crack and nothing happened. Yet she remembered this when her mother had died to. The tiniest little, insignificant act could cause unexpected results.

When she'd regain control of herself, she joined Castle at the door again.

"Please come in dear, there's so much for you to tell me," The woman waved her in ahead of her and did the same thing for Castle. Kate was slightly amused to see how uncomfortable the author felt here.

Once they had reached the living room and were seated on the couch Kate decided to pursue the reason they'd come again.

"Mrs. Whitting it's good to see you again but we really must speak to you husband," she spoke before the woman could get a word in edgewise.

"I'm sorry to say that Marvin is not here right now. He has a Friday poker game with some of his old friends. They start at three, run until six and then go out for some drinking and dinner. They usually don't get home until nine or ten at night. I'm sorry," Mrs. Whitting supplied.

"Do you know where we could find him," she asked and glanced at the clock noting that it had taken them two and a half hours to get there and it was about six thirty now.

"I'm really not sure where they'd be. They usually don't leave town though. You should check some of the bars around."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mrs. Whitting. I wish I could stay longer and catch up but it's a long drive back to New York, and the sooner we find him the sooner we can be on our way," she stood and got ready to make her exit.

"Come on Kate, we can stay for a little while," Castle commented.

"Sure, kitten, why don't we let a few suspects slip out of our reach. We don't have time," she scowled at Castle.

"Suspects? My dear Marvin is a suspect in a murder investigation," Mrs. Whitting's face assumed a flustered and surprised appearance.

"Unfortunately yes, Mrs. Whitting," Kate replied regretting what she had to say.

"Please, explain to me what's happened, I might be able to help you," the middle-aged woman asked.

Kate sank back onto the couch beside Castle wishing that she didn't have to answer.

"Mrs. Whitting, how was your husband's current relationship with Thomas Beckett?" she asked hoping that if she voiced everything just as she usually did it would somehow change how she felt toward the case and make it seem more distant. It didn't help.

"They had not seen each other for quite a while, Marvin seemed a bit annoyed at him but they always used to have their little spats. I figure this was nothing more. Marvin would sometimes get annoyed at your father but never horribly angry, not when I was around," Mrs. Whitting answered, "What does that have to do with your investigation?"

"Our victim," She paused to collect herself, "was Thomas Beckett."

The response from the other woman was instantaneous and something Castle would have mocked her mercilessly, were there other circumstances behind it. The woman had sprung from her seat and wrapped her arms around Kate. She drew in a sharp breath and tried to relax but couldn't.

"Please, I have to know where you husband has been for the last day and a half," she hurriedly brushed the woman off of her and set about keeping up her professional appearance.

"He's been up in New York City working on some business for the last week. He was selling some of his hardware to stores and making pitches." The woman's gray eyes were filled to the brim with tears, "Dear are you alright? I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now. How could you possibly deal with both of you parents being murdered?"

"I assure you I'm fine Mrs. Whitting," Kate stood to leave and grabbed Castle's arm, "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Whitting."

Kate made sure Castle was walking ahead of her as she left so he couldn't think of another reason to stay. She made her way across the lawn and into the car. Castle got into the passenger seat. After the door close she leaned her head against the steering wheel fighting against the lump that had formed in her throat while she'd been explaining. She bit her lip and then leaned back against the seat placing her hands on the wheel only to remember she had yet to turn the key in the ignition. Kate twisted the Key and they pulled away from the curb and began their search for all the local bars.

(Later)

The door was easy to open and the tiny bells rung against it as they entered. Kate looked around the dark room and then glanced toward the bar where there appeared to be a rather rowdy group of men. They all seemed to know each other because she doubted they were drunk enough to be acting as they did toward one another.

"Over there Castle," she gestured slightly.

"Well we'll just have to see how well they can hold their alcohol," he commented and made his way over to sit down next to them.

"Castle!" Kate followed him in annoyance. Why could he never play by the rules? Of course that very fact did make him Castle.

"Richard Castle," she watched as he held out his to the other man, "Pleasure to meet you."

"Mack Riger," the other man replied, "This is Marvin, Jack, Allen, and Frank. What do you want?"

"I would like to propose a friendly competition. Shots?"

"A competition?" Mack replied.

"A good idea," Castle replied but was stopped as Kate grabbed his ear.

"Not a good idea," she hissed, "Detective Beckett, NYPD, we need to…"

She didn't manage to finish because the man in question bolted. She ran after him Castle behind her trying to make their way through the crowded bar. They left through the back into and alley and then across the street towards a small salvage yard. Whitting opened the gate into the yard and tore through but the time he'd lost doing so cost him. Kate caught up to him and tackled him. Then she pulled the cuffs from her belt and clamped them around his wrist.

"Marvin Whitting, you are under arrest," she dictated.

"You're obviously… in better… shape than I… am," Castle panted as he reached them.

"Obviously, here, help me get him up," she replied a strange sense of pleasure for being one step closer to answers filling her.

She grabbed one of the man's arms and Castle took the other and hoisted him off the ground. They walked him to the car and shoved him into the back. Kate sighed and turned the key in the ignition again. They pulled away from the curb on their way back to New York City.

(Later)

Marvin Whitting was sitting at the table alone. Kate looked at him through the one way glass an expression of disgust on her face. She looked down at the coat he had that was full of drugs, heroin included, he probably sold after his buddies got too drunk to realize what he was doing. It's probably what he'd been doing in New York too. She thought. It wouldn't have taken much for him to find her father and get revenge. Then he'd left town the day after. The story seemed so easy for her to put together. She made her way through the door and into the room.

"Mr. Whitting, where were you at between the hours of 3 and 4 am on March 7," she asked.

He looked up at her and a surprised smile spread across his face.

"Katie Beckett, it's been a very long time. Nice to see you again,"

"Nice to see you too," she snapped and continued, "Again Mr. Whitting, where were you in the early hours of March 7?"

"I was at a party with some of my clients,"

"Your clients?" she asked immediately.

"I'm and insurance consultant," Mr. Whitting replied.

"Can anyone verify your presence at the party?" she asked.

"Several people who were there saw me,"

Kate looked down at her hands frustrated because she couldn't find anything to suggest he was lying, yet.

"So tell me, why is and insurance consultant selling drugs? Surely you make enough money to support yourself and your wife," she asked catching his mistake.

"Lately business has been unsteady,"

"People aren't paying for their insurance anymore?"

"Well…"

"You have a previous arrest concerning drug dealing though you were never convicted," she stated.

"Yes, but you should already know that,"

"And that arrest was made by narcotics detective Thomas Beckett," she continued.

"Yes your father," Mr. Whitting seemed to be confused and irritated.

"I bet you were pretty angry. Your life had been badly shaken up; you probably lost your reputation as an upstanding citizen. Am I right, Mr. Whitting?" She inquired with vehemence.

"Yes, but…"

"How angry were you, Mr. Whitting?"

"I was very angry, I'd been in a stable relationship then and everything seemed to be going well. We were making money and living together. Then he comes in and blows the whole thing!" her replied.

"Then you won't mind telling me why Thomas Beckett's body was found in Central Park yesterday morning!" Kate stood and leaned over the table toward him.

"I had nothing to do with this! I just can't believe he's dead," Mr. Whitting seemed genuinely shocked which irritated her, and she scowled losing the feeling of having the mouse trapped between her paws.

"Do you know how he died?" she was pacing now.

"Why would I?"

"He was killed by an overdose of Heroin, a drug which you seem to have a lot of!" She turned toward him again.

"I don't deny the drug claim but how do you know this wasn't a suicide," Mr. Whitting was getting bolder.

"I'm asking the questions and you're answering them!" she yelled.

"I want a lawyer,"

Kate looked at the man for a moment and then turned to the door and left the room, anger giving away to the feelings she'd kept suppressed all day. She made her way into the break-room and collapsed onto one of the chairs. For a few moments she wasn't sure she could breathe but then she managed to steady herself and put her forehead in her hands.

"Good job today, Beckett," Montgomery stood in front of her so she bit back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Thank you, chief," she replied.

"Go home Beckett, sleep."

Then the captain left too, only to be replaced by Castle.

"Come with me Beckett. You're too tired to drive yourself home." He commented and for once Kate couldn't argue. She felt like the walking dead.

They made their way to the car and Castle climbed into the driver's seat. Kate climbed into the passenger side unperturbed by this new arrangement. She put on her seatbelt and leaded back against the head rest, her cheek resting against her hand.

It was a little while later when she finally had to give up her battle with her pride. She felt her hand slowly becoming wet and was glad it was dark because Castle would have noticed if it was otherwise. Castle pulled up into one of the parking spaces along the curb and stopped. Kate looked around a realized that this was far from being her neighborhood, this was his. He walked around the car and opened the door for her. She couldn't come up with an argument for him so she didn't make eye contact. Kate followed Castle into the building and across the rather spacious lobby to the elevator.

"I'm going to make you dinner since neither of us has eaten. I'll take you home after we're done," Castle explained.

Normally she would have snapped about being able to make dinner herself but her broken voice would have given her away so she just nodded.

"Kate?" Castle turned around to look at her.

"It's Beckett," she managed to choke before she began to actually cry instead of her silent tears, hating herself for every minute of it.

a/n- Um… so tell me what you think. I managed to get some real Beckett in there, as well as my personal version of Beckett. *hehe* Hope the ending isn't too OOC. I'm actually writing from experience with some of the grief things so I'm doing my best. I'm not quite as strong a person as Beckett so I may over-embellish a little.

Disclaimer- since I forgot to put one in, in the first chapter I thought I'd put it here, mix it up a bit. I don't own Anything from Castle so don't sue me for writing this fic. I'm just having fun and being creative so I see no harm.

Tabitha of MoonAurora


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn't as if he wasn't being helpful, but she just didn't want him to be that close to her. And still she was letting him. Kate could feel Castle's arm around her shoulders as he steered her onto the elevator that would take them to his apartment and it lingered while he press the button for the floor. He didn't even let go of her when he put the key in the lock for the apartment he shared with his daughter and mother. No doubt, the fact that he was able to be so comforting was from his many years raising Alexis as a single father. Castle steered her to one of the many couches before closing the apartment door loudly. Kate took off her coat and laid it over the back of the couch she was sitting on. Then she put her head in her hands trying to gain control of herself again. The cushion she was sitting on moved and she felt Castle wrap an arm around her again.

It was one of those moments she'd remember in the days to come and hate it so she thought for a second but for now she needed someone. She was actually crying into his shirt but he didn't mention anything about it. She kept repeating the same phrases through her head asking herself over and over again how could her be dead until she wasn't sure whether she'd said it out loud or not. The few hours where she'd sat on the couch leaning against Castle's shoulder were somewhat incoherent to her.

Kate finally managed to collect herself, and Castle got up to make something to eat before he took her back to her apartment. She watched him move into the kitchen and grab a loaf of bread. He pulled some cheese out of the refrigerator and some butter. It was vaguely amusing to watch him cooking though she couldn't identify exactly why. He bent down and opened a cupboard from which he pulled a frying pan that promptly slipped from his hand and landed on the tiled floor with a loud clang.

"Dad?"

Kate vaguely heard Alexis over the sound of Castle's cursing and turned to see the teen trying to clear her eyes of sleep.

"Did you just get home? Why are you cooking?" Alexis walked toward the kitchen adjacent to the open main room and caught sight of Kate.

"Hello, Alexis," Kate greeted lamely.

"Hi, Detective Beckett," she turned to her dad, "Do you think we could talk for a moment."

"You'll look after the…" Castle looked at Kate.

"Don't worry, Castle. I think I can handle some grilled cheese," she commented to him to counteract his look of slight worry.

He nodded and followed Alexis out of the room.

(Father/Daughter Moment)

Castle followed Alexis to his office where she stopped and turned to face him.

"What is your… 'inspiration' doing here?" she asked, "at least this late at night."

"I was driving her home and she broke down so I brought her up here,"

"Dad," Alexis' face was disbelieving.

"Well I wasn't exactly driving her home but usually if I do something like that she notices and points it out," He replied to his daughter, "Do I drill you about Owen like this?"

"No but you will,"

"You know me too well," he replied.

"I wouldn't have to know you at all to know that's what you would do. Every father interrogates his daughter about the boys she likes," Alexis contradicted her father.

"I thought you were a stickler for curfew,"

"Fine but we're talking about this in the morning,"

"Oh over the ice cream we're having for breakfast. Make sure my mother's not there," Castle commented as she was leaving.

"I can't promise anything though I don't think you have any luck at all," Alexis called back to him.

(Later)

She grabbed one of the grilled cheese sandwiches Castle had finished before his daughter had taken him aside, and began to eat it. Kate placed another two of the assembled sandwiched into the frying pan and began to cook them too. She heard someone come down the hallway and assumed Castle and Alexis had already returned.

"That took less time than I expected. I figured you'd be back there a while Castle," she commented trying to make up for her earlier need of him with more normal comments.

"Well hello, dear. We usually aren't entertaining company this early in the morning. Or late at night whichever you prefer," the accented voice that replied to her previous statement was not Castle's but that of Martha, his mother.

"Martha," Kate looked up and swallowed the mouthful of food she had in her mouth, "I'm sorry did I wake you?"

"No, no my insomnia calls for a late night/mid morning martini around this time," Martha had that look of curiosity in her eye that was reserved for the discovery of midnight scandals, "So what is your excuse?"

"Excuse?" she commented and then looked at the many grilled cheese sandwiches on the counter, "Castle left me cooking dinner while Alexis interrogated him."

Martha passed her and took some vodka out of the cabinet beside the fridge and proceeded to mix her martini.

Kate looked up as she heard footsteps in the hallway and saw first Alexis come out and then, a few moments later, Castle. Alexis wore a smug look that reminded her, not a little bit, of Castle's. Castle on the other hand was looking, there weren't words to describe his expression.

"Mother?" he commented and looked at Kate.

"Darling, finally you join us! And look the whole family's awake," Martha's ever enthusiastic voice filled the room.

"Why are you drinking a martini at two in the morning mother?" Castle asked an Beckett found herself amused by this exchange for it was very obvious that Castle was more worried about what his mother would say to him later than what she was actually doing at present?

"People drink Martinis at all hours of the day darling; surely you've learned that from you release parties,"

"Yes but generally they don't wake up, come downstairs and make a martini at two in the morning,"

"A dare to be different, isn't that what they all say now," Martha replied dramatically, "Until tomorrow, darling!"

The eccentric woman made her way back down the hall to what was presumably her room. Kate looked back down at the sandwiches for a moment and then took the frying pan off the stove and carried it over to the sink.

"So, I guess I'll see you in the morning, Dad?" Alexis asked.

"Of course! Good-night," Castle replied.

"Good-night Detective Beckett," Alexis said in finality before also making her way to her room.

"Good-night Alexis," Kate replied.

Kate made her way across the room and sat down on the couch. Castle joined her and they ate in relative silence for a while. Kate contemplated the case as the silence stretched on trying to think of anything that might break Whitting's alibi.

"What are you thinking about Kate?" Castle's voice cut across her thoughts and she turned to him in annoyance.

"I'm thinking about the case. I'm just trying to figure out if there's some way to trick Whitting into breaking his alibi." She commented.

"He may not be the one who killed him. I know you feel it is your job to think about this case all the time but…"

"Castle," Kate interrupted him, "It is my job."

"You need to relax,"

Kate looked at him for a moment and then looked away not wanting to revert to her earlier state of disarray.

"So, what did my mother say to you while I was gone?"

Kate looked up at his sudden change in subject and then replied.

"Actually she didn't say much, but she was wearing a look."

"That's surprising," Castle comment, a look of confusion on his face, "usually you'd still be talking."

Kate looked at him again and took another bite of her grilled cheese. She couldn't entirely keep her mind focused because it kept wandering to her father and then, rather inappropriately she thought, to Castle.

"So, what's next on the list for our case? Are we going to go and catch another drug dealer in a bar? That was fun, the whole chasing thing, and the tackling thing," Castle was wearing one of his snide smiles that went right along with his underhanded remarks.

"Castle!" Kate yelled at him thought this time it was with good nature instead of true annoyance, "Actually I think our best option with the case is to ID that cipher on his arms."

"Ah, the internet, follow me," Kate made a move to stop him as he, acting like his eight year-old self, grabbed the plate of sandwiches and jogged smoothly away from the couch with it.

"Castle!" Kate followed him and saw he was headed for his office. _He is so immature._ She thought and walked around the desk to stand behind him. The author was already typing in the search bar. The links to other websites were appearing now.

"Castle, we could find any code and it wouldn't matter because we don't have a picture of this one. We won't be able to decipher it," Kate hissed into his ear.

"Just go sit down I'll tell you if I find something."

Kate watched as Castle reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He began to go through the pictures.

"You took pictures of the crime again. Castle, you do know that's illegal. I could actually arrest you for that!"

"You wouldn't though," Castle quipped, "You like me too much to cuff me again."

"I wouldn't count on it, Castle," she retorted.

"Really, go sit down on that couch over there, you look like you're about to fall over."

She realized with irritation that he was right. She really needed to sit down before her legs gave out under her. There was only so far she could push herself and it was the second night in a row she'd been up so late. She walked over to the couch and sat down, placing her elbow on the armrest and her head on her hand. The tapping of the keyboard and click of the mouse started to seem distant and she was vaguely aware she was falling asleep but her body didn't register the shouldn'ts of the situation.

(Castle)

He was at the computer for a long time before he noticed that it had become uncharacteristically quiet in the room. He looked around the computer and saw that Kate had fallen asleep on the couch opposite the desk. He smiled and watched her for a few moments and then looked at his phone, deciding he was going to make no headway with such a small screen. He slid it shut. Castle stood and walked out of the room for a moment and then returned with a blanket that her threw over her before he sat down in the chair next to her. Had he been more awake he would have seen how stupid a move that was, but at this late hour her only saw that the chair was free for the taking.

(Kate)

She opened her eyes to find that the room she was in was very, very bright. She moved and found she was on a couch instead of her bed but it was not until her eyes fell on the chair next to the couch that she remembered where she was. Kate looked at Castle, at first with stunned bewilderment. It was nearly 9 in the morning and she should have been at work and hour previously. Her phone rang but Castle got to it first.

"Richard Castle," he answered with a voice that sounded like the announcer for a game show, "Wait, why are you calling Beckett on…" he pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it, "Oh sorry, you want Beckett?"

"Castle!" she gestured with her hand making a cutting motion across her throat.

"Here she is,"

Castle handed her the phone and she cleared her throat uncomfortably, "Beckett."

Kate listened to what Esposito had to say, everything he had to say.

"I'll be right there," she snapped her phone shut and stood, "Come on, Castle."

"What's the rush? We're already late," Castle replied.

"Move it, and give me the keys," she ordered.

"I will not give you the keys to my car! You might crash it or don't we remember your driving the other day?"

"Don't be a wise-ass Castle! It's unattractive," she snapped.

"So you do find me attractive. You like me,"

"I never said I thought you were attractive; I said the behavior was unattractive," Kate contradicted.

"You didn't deny it! You do like me," Castle mused.

"I don't like you, Castle. Give me the keys!"

"Well now, what do we have here?" Martha mused as they came into the sitting room.

"Good Morning, mother, Alexis," Castle greeted and made straight for the door.

"Morning Martha," Kate paused for a moment and turned to Alexis, "Morning Alexis. You can call me Kate,"

Castle was just shutting the door when she said that and turned around to stare at her. She shook her head. Kate walked over to him and grabbed the keys from his hand. Kate lifted them and waved them in front of his face.

"Let's go, Castle," She ordered.

She made her way through the door quickly and made her way to the elevator. Castle was behind her but several steps back. She contemplated not holding the door for him but then decided against it. Castle joined her and made a snatch for the keys in her hand, but she closed her fist tightly around them so if he really wanted them badly he would have to pry it open. It seemed he didn't because he gave up and stood sullenly beside her. The elevator doors opened with a ding onto the lobby and she stepped out, making her way toward the exit. Kate could hear Castle shuffling quickly after her and eventually breaking into a run. One thing he hadn't perfected, she observed, was speed walking.

Kate opened the driver's seat of Castle's car and climbed in. It was nice to have things in some semblance of normality though the fact that she was driving not her car but Castle's to working in the morning was… she couldn't put words to it. Castle climbed in next to her and shut his door with a snap. She put the key in the ignition and pulled away from the curb.

(Later)

Kate shut the car door and made her way into the precinct.

"Beckett, it is rare that you arrive so late," Montgomery eyed Castle for a moment and then turned back to Kate, "especially on a case you hold so important."

"It won't happen again, Sir," She replied and then made her way to her desk.

Castle took his usual detour to the break-room of which she was glad. She'd not sat down in her chair long before she was ambushed by Ryan and Esposito. By now, though, the weight of the case had begun to settle on her shoulders again and she was in no mood to be interrogated.

"So… you and Castle, huh?" Esposito mused.

"Nothing happened, and before you continue you might want to consider that I am very good with a gun and really would rather not be annoyed right now," Kate didn't look away from her computer.

"Come on, Beckett, what were you doing at Castle's this morning?" Esposito continued and Ryan watched with interest.

"What proof do you have that I was at Castle's?" Kate turned to look at the two.

"Alright what were you doing with Castle this morning?" Esposito corrected.

"None of your damn business," she replied and turned back to face the computer.

"So you did sleep with Castle," Ryan said.

Kate took a long breath trying to keep herself from hitting the man she, "No, Ryan, I did not sleep with Castle."

"Who am I sleeping with?" Castle asked joining the conversation.

"No one, Castle," She answered without looking at him.

"I beg to differ," Castle commented just loudly enough to be heard but quietly enough it could be considered mumbling.

"Excuse me?!" she spun her chair to face him now.

"Well…" Castle commented.

Kate stood, she'd had enough. When she was in a good mood like when she'd first gotten up his antiques were funny, now, they were irritating. She grasped the front of his shirt and pulled him closer to her.

"Do you remember when I said, 'trust me you don't want to be the guy who makes my life harder?'?" She glared at him. He nodded, and she continued, "Right now you are being that guy. Understood?"

"Completely," Castle replied.

Kate let his shirt go and backed away to sit down in her chair; she spun to face the computer and grasped the mouse. She could feel Esposito and Ryan watching her and looked at them.

"What?!"

"Nothing, Beckett,"

She saw the look on Esposito's face and knew that it was far from nothing. Kate chose to ignore it and opened the file on her desk. The wash of grief that hit her as she saw the picture inside was much more than she could have expected. In her mind she made him just somebody else, just a person, just another body. It was the pictures of her father's forearms she was looking for. They weren't in the folder and she knew she'd replaced them before she'd left for the night.

"Castle, where are the photos?" She turned to the author who put on his best look of innocence.

"Photos?"

"Castle! What did you do with them? I put them back last night," Kate scowled at his falsely innocent face.

"I… might have… sent them to a… friend?" he replied.

"What friend?"

"A professor of Cryptology,"

"Where?"

"I'm not at liberty to say,"

"Oh really?"

"I swear!"

Kate looked at him trying to discern whether or not he was telling the truth. It seemed he was.

"Let me see the pictures on your phone," Kate asked suddenly remembering that he had them.

Castle silently handed her the phone. She began to filp through the pictures trying to ignore that there were many depicting her. When she finally reached the pictures she looked carefully. Then something caught her eye, a letter not a dotted sequence. The dots could be connected.

"Esposito, Ryan, look at this," she spoke suddenly.

Esposito Ryan and Castle gathered around the phone.

"Look at the dots on his arm. With this small a picture…" she was interrupted.

"They form letters," Castle finished for her.

Kate twisted to look at him, "Thank you, Castle. Why when we were looking over these last night you didn't notice that?"

"Maybe I was distracted," he replied.

"I…" she narrowed her eyes at him, pressing her lips tightly together.

"Well, if they make letters we had better get some larger pictures because there are a lot of dots," Ryan mused.

He reached forward and took the phone from Kate. She looked at Esposito who walked over to Ryan's desk. Then she turned to Castle and glared.

"How long did you spend looking at those pictures?" she asked.

"About an hour,"

"And you never noticed that those dots made letters?"

"No,"

"Because if you did you would have told me,"

"Yes,"

"Because discovering those helps us get one step closer to our killer"

"Kate you are really on edge today. You need to relax,"

"Stop telling me I need to relax, Castle. It's not going to happen,"

"Here, Beckett," Esposito handed her the pictures and she took them.

"Thank you," Kate grabbed a marker off of her desk and began to connect the dots on the picture. When she'd finished she looked at the jumble of letters, "They don't make any sense, it's just letters."

"They are a code,"

"But a code that someone didn't want us to find," Kate thought aloud, "Or to buy time to flee while we were trying to make sense of it."

"If the killer were trying to flee we've given them plenty of time to do it," Castle commented.

"Esposito, check with airport security and see if any of the people on this list have flown in the last three days. If they have I want to know where they were going and what they had with them. Make sure they are all put on a do not fly list," she ordered

"Right away," Esposito picked up the phone and started dialing.

"Castle," she started, "come with me. If the code was there to keep us busy so the perp. could run that makes Whitting innocent. We'll still be holding him on drug charges but his wife should at least know he's not being held for suspected murder."

Kate made her way to her car the keys in her hand but stopped as she saw one of her tires had been slashed almost completely in half. Castle was getting in the passenger seat but stopped as he saw the look on her face. She bent down and saw inside the tire, there was a small piece of white paper. She reached in and pulled it out. With careful fingers, she opened the note doing her best not to get any finger prints on anything but the outside of the letter. Castle knelt beside her and looked over her shoulder.

On it was a date and that same dotted writing. Kate opened her mouth for a moment and then closed it. She stood and took the piece of paper inside the precinct and over to Esposito and Ryan. Castle was following silently, for once, behind her.

"The killer hasn't left the city," she commented.

"How do you know?" Ryan asked.

"This," she turned the letter toward them, "Someone cut my tire in half and..."

When she'd turned the note to the two, something on the back caught her eye. It was a word. Receipt.

"You found this in your tire?"

"Yes,"

"Beckett, I'm not saying this to patronize you but you might want to stay in the…"

"I'm not going to stay in the precinct Esposito," she interrupted.

"Just be careful," he replied.

"I'm going to get this to someone and see if they can lift some prints," she stated and left.

(Later)

Kate was driving Castle's car again. She couldn't keep her mind off the note and couldn't stop thinking about her father. Why oh why did it have to be him? She could feel herself being swept up in the silence, and grief again was beginning to take its toll. It would seem that every time she let herself think her mind would return her to what she now had to live without, bringing forth the old sadness of her mother too.

"Kate?"

"Castle," she took her eyes off the road and turned them on him as he grasped her wrist, "What're you doing?"

He let go of her and she directed her attention back at the road. This new, mature side of Castle was slightly disconcerting. Sometimes he would do things that almost made him seem human, like he really did care.

"Are we going to turn off here or are we going to keep driving until we hit the ocean," Castle commented.

Kate looked and saw she'd nearly missed the exit she needed to take. She turned onto the off ramp and followed it down to the road below. She sighed as she saw lights flashing in the rear view mirror and realized she was going twenty mile per hour over the speed limit. She heard a snort from Castle as she pulled over to the side of the road. She turned to look at him. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"You know, I never thought this day would come," Castle commented, "What happens when a detective gets pulled over for speeding?"

"The same thing that happens when any other person gets pulled over for speeding, Castle," Kate replied.

They came to a stop and she rolled down the window, waiting for the officer to come and talk with her.

"Ma'am, I'm going to need to ask you to step out of the car," the officer stopped at the window and bent down to look in, "You too sir."

Kate was surprised by this request. It was not normal protocol for speeding. She saw Castle get out of the car with ease as though he had practiced this a dozen times, thought that was probably so considering the number of times he'd been picked up before she met him. She opened her door and stepped out.

"Turn around and put your hands against the car please,"

Castle came around to her side of the car and did as he was told. She copied him having done this herself to several suspects she'd brought in.

"Ma'am, you're going to have to come with me,"

"Pardon me, sir, why?"

"You're carrying a gun, ma'am,"

"I'm a detective, I'm licensed to carry it," Kate replied in annoyance.

"May I see your license and registration please," the officer asked.

Kate reached for her wallet and found her pocket empty. She swore, and Castle broke down laughing.

"Could I give you my social security number?"

"I'm sorry ma'am, you and you companion are going to have to come with us," The officer declared.

Kate followed the officer Castle following behind her laughing.

a/n- I needed some humor in this story so this chapter kind of ties some in. Hope you liked it. Transitions between things weren't very good in my opinion but then again who knows right? It's your call as to whether you like it or not. Just tell me. Review. And please give me more than just, "I like it" it's the mono-syllabic equivalent in the review world.

Not sure if the above made any sense at all. I'm listening to a lecture on the Tower of London right now so my brain is a bit fuzzy.

Tabitha


	4. Chapter 4

It was irritating sitting in the back seat next to Castle who seemed so comfortable with the whole situation. This situation uncomfortable nature had been increased because the two cops had handcuffed them. Why was this necessary? They'd done nothing wrong and the officer had not explained what was happening. So Kate couldn't help but wonder whether she'd made a mistake getting out of the car and coming with these cops. Philadelphia was not a good place to be in trouble, luck seemed to be on her side for once because the cops pulled up to a building that seemed to be a precinct.

The car stopped as the officer placed his foot on the brake of the cruiser and then turned off the ignition. He stepped out of the car and opened the door for her to get out. Another cop came up to him and then walked around and opened the door for Castle. Kate could not be certain but she felt generally at ease in think that she heard the words drug trafficking and gun, used in the same sentence before the cop grasped her arm and helped her out.

"Pardon me, sir but why are we here?" she asked impatiently as they got inside.

"Ma'am, your car and license plate number match the description given to us by witness who earlier saw some people selling drugs to some teens up the interstate," the officer replied.

Kate looked over at Castle who looked back at her all his amusement at the situation gone.

"Sir, I can assure you we've done nothing. We're currently investigating a case involving drugs. We picked a guy up that lived a little way southwest of here and were on our way to tell his wife that he is no longer facing a murder charge," she contradicted.

"I admire your creativity," the cop was unlocking a door now and the worst part of it all was she knew where the door would lead, "Most drug dealers just say I didn't do nothin' over and over again until they finally get tired of saying it. Then they ask for a lawyer."

"I know that I've worked too many drug related homicides not to," she replied.

"That's your story and you're sticking to it."

Kate heard the pins in the lock fall into place and the door swung open. The cop took the handcuffs first off of her and then off of Castle. Inside the room, there was a cell. And inside that cell there was a bench. The cop unlocked the cuffs and pushed the both of them into the cell together. Kate glared at the cop's back as he left and then pulled out her cell phone. This cop really didn't follow protocol very well. Castle watched as she opened the phone and realized she had no service.

"Damn it all to hell!" she swore out of absolute frustration.

"Hey Esposito," she heard from behind her and turned.

Castle was sitting on the bench his phone to his ear. He was also very clearly getting access.

"Put it on speaker Castle,"

Castle pressed a button and Esposito's voice came out of the phone.

"Hello Esposito," Kate called.

"That you Beckett?"

"Who else would it be?" she snapped back.

"Where are you? You left three hours ago." Esposito asked.

"We're in Philadelphia," She replied but was cut off by Castle.

"Kate pissed because we got arrested,"

"How the hell did you get arrested?!"

"Beckett got arrested?" they heard Ryan's voice very quietly in the background.

"The cop decided our car matched the description someone had given him of a drug dealer's car," Kate replied annoyed.

"And she was speeding," Castle added.

"The point is, we need someone to prove that we're here for no nefarious reasons,"

"Why don't you just show them your badge?" Esposito suggested.

She grasped the badge and looked at it. Why hadn't she thought of that? She heard footsteps and indicated that Castle should hang up his phone. Castle pressed the button and cut off the call and then slipped the phone back into his pocket. The cop opened the door to the cell and Beckett held up her badge for him to see.

"I'm Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. This is Richard Castle…"

"You're Richard Castle?" the cop interrupted her and she realized her was not the same cop that had picked them up.

"Yes I am," Castle stood up and walked over to stand beside Kate.

She sighed. Why did this always happen?

"Richard Castle, it's an honor to meet you. Most of us in the precinct love your books,"

"Do you suppose we could go, I'm really in a hurry," Castle was negotiating now and Kate glared at him.

"You wouldn't mind sighing all of our books would you; before we let you go?"

Now she could tell that this cop was not very old, probably barely out of high school.

"Actually we're…" again Castle cut her off.

"I would be delighted," Castle replied.

Kate groaned and followed the two men out of the cell and into the main body of the precinct.

It was somewhat similar to their own though she could tell it was smaller and was more of a localized precinct than a headquarters.

"So, Mr. Castle, how is it that I find you in a cell in Philadelphia. I thought you lived in New York City,"

The man that had asked this was who she assumed was the police chief.

"Well actually, Kate and I were following up on a homicide investigation. We arrested a man that lived in a Suburban neighborhood about thirty minutes out of Philly and we were coming to tell his wife he was no longer facing murder charges as well as ask some questions about other suspects they may have had contact with." Castle commented.

"So, you perform police work as well as write your novels. Very ambitious of you,"

"Kate is actually my muse. I'm basing my next character off of her,"

"I'm not your muse Castle!" she turned to the police chief, "We really need to be on our way, sir. I have urgent matters that must be dealt with and very little time to complete them."

"I'm sure informing this woman about her husband can wait for a little while," the Chief seemed adamant upon monopolizing Castle for as long as possible.

"I'll sign anybodies' books that want them signed," Castle commented.

Kate sat down in a chair and waited for Castle to be done with his impromptu book signing. She looked down at her lap and she felt, with her exhaustion, sadness reopen what she thought was a healing wound. Tears were in her eyes and falling before she could stop them.

(Later)

Kate was sitting in the car her hands on the steering wheel waiting for Castle to make his way in. It was already ten thirty and the hour kept ticking by. Castle finally sat down in the seat and closed the door. She looked over at him for a moment and then looked as at the steering wheel. She leaned forward without saying a word and slipped the key into the ignition. She could feel Castle watching her and knew that he was entirely aware that she was not happy with his delay.

They pulled out of the precinct parking lot and onto the road, making their way back toward the interstate. Where they had originally been headed was another freeway near the interstate so they could use it to get to the suburb they needed. Kate looked up from her driving and saw Castle quickly look away proving her theory that he had been watching her throughout the drive.

"That's not how we do things Castle, sometimes we have to take our cases seriously. It's going to be very late by the time we get back to New York again and I had other facts I wanted to go through before we went home," she looked down at her lap aware there were tears in her eyes again and she was not coming off quite as annoyed as she really was. _God, I hate emotions, _she thought.

"Kate, when has my way not worked?"

"Do… I…" she stammered trying to find a comeback but her voice broke and she stumbled over the words.

The road was shimmering from the rain that had recently fallen and the people around them were driving very slowly because of the low temperature. Kate brushed a few tears out of her eye, angry at her lack of self control. She saw the road and turned off onto the exit and down into the suburban neighborhood. She looked at the clock; it was seven past eleven. Sighing she parked the car along the road in front of the house and got out.

The grass crunched under Kate's feet as she made her way across the yard on onto the walk that lead from the driveway to the small front porch. She knocked on the door and waited patiently, Castle behind her, as usual, for the woman to open the door. No one came so she knocked again. Yet again no one answered. The lights in the house were on and the TV was on the news but no one was watching it. Kate walked to the garage and saw it was open and the car was inside it very clearly undisturbed. Something wasn't right. Call it a sixth sense but the chilly night air seemed to have an ominous feeling about it. Kate stepped into the garage and she heard Castle's heavier footfalls mimic hers. Her hand traveled round her back to where she kept her gun in its holster. She saw a dull flash of something catching the light of a streetlamp and grabbed Castle's arm. Her save turned out just in time. A bullet smashed into the wall just where their bodies had so recently been. Castle was on top of her pressing her into the concrete floor of the garage but for once she was not angry. Because of her trapped nature, she'd seen not only a woman's angry and almost insane face, but the gas line hanging down from underneath the car and the woman's hand as it lit a match.

"Castle, run now!" Kate screamed for once not embarrassed to show her fear.

The man lying on top of her seemed to notice the urgency. He leapt to his feet and half stumbled, half ran from the enclosed garage. A few bullets peppered the plaster wall and showered Kate with the rough pieces of cay that fell, but none of that mattered. Kate rolled up onto her feet and followed Castle.

She felt the sound before she heard it. The heat of the resulting fire hit the back of her neck and something she thought might have once been a glass figurine bit its edge deeply into her upper arm another piece slicing viciously across her cheek. She threw herself to the ground and covered her head with her hands. She heard someone cry out in terror, someone young and innocent but there was nothing she could do. No matter who had been in that house there was no getting to them now. It had been a trap and she'd played right into it. Her father's murder, the woman, she assumed, had called in the drug report to buy herself the time to reach the house before they did. Then she'd cut the fuel line on the car and waited for them to get there. Not only would she be killing her adversaries but also their source of information about her. The story made so much sense. As everyone always says, hindsight is 20/20.

"Kate," it was Castle's voice and he sounded near panic, "Kate!"

He seemed to notice her in the grass as she rolled over onto her back. He crawled over to her and grabbed her upper left arm. She winced and he pulled his hand away. She could feel the fire burning hotter and suddenly wondered what could be in the house. Kate knew in her mind that not only did they have to get away from the house but they would have to do it fast. She heard another cry and pushed herself to her feet refusing to let Castle help her. She squinted at the blaze and saw, with a thrill of absolute terror that a little child was standing on the front porch of the house appearing to be holding something. Kate was afraid of fires. She'd always avoided them but now there was no way she was going to be able to let that child stand there on that porch and be burned to death.

Kate knew it was insane and knew she would not done it if she'd been more awake, however after everything that had happened in the last three days nothing seemed to operate on a normal level. She ran forward and grabbed the child. Castle was right at her back seeming to not want to leave her, and she was fine with that. The little girl clung helplessly to a tiny stuffed cat, the tears on her small face glistening in the orange firelight. Kate handed her to Castle as she reached the sidewalk again and collapsed onto the concrete.

People had begun to gather about the house and it seemed as though to them this was nothing more than an accidental fire. And, Kate thought as she contemplated the scene in her semi-conscious state, that that really was all it appeared to be. Somehow a reporter had already managed to get there, along with the fire department, and was interviewing people on what had happened.

"Kate, come on get up," Castle reached down and grabbed her left arm again.

He pulled her up this time and she felt something running over her hand. She looked down and saw that it was reed with blood, her own blood. She also felt her cheek bleeding as well.

"Ma'am, would you mind giving me a statement on what happened here. A few people told me that you were the first on the scene," the reporter was standing before her but she was having trouble focusing on what she saw before her.

_I've lost a lot of blood. She thought_.

"Kate, you're bleeding," Castle commented.

"I know that, Castle," she snapped and turned to him.

"You should see someone about that," Castle commented and again she was painfully aware of how odd responsible Castle was, "Come with me."

Kate was about to reply with a few choice curses but then noticed that Castle was holding the little child, a girl she now saw, over his hip. Castle took her hand and led her over to the firemen.

"Do you have a paramedic and possibly a policeman around here?" Castle asked.

Kate rolled her eyes wishing that she felt as wonderful as she was letting on. The deep cut had begun to ache and didn't seem to have slowed in blood flow yet. She could also see that some blood from the cut on her cheek had somehow reached her eyelashes and clotted there. Castle was towing her away from the fireman and over to an ambulance. Kate heard her phone ring.

"Beckett," she answered trying her best not to sound like she felt.

"_Hey, what's taking you so long?" Esposito's voice spoke out of the phone which she had put on speaker because the paramedic was examining her arm, "Why do I hear sirens in the background?"_

"_you didn't get yourselves arrested again did you?" and that was Ryan's quiet voice._

"No Ryan, we've not been arrested though that probably would have been preferable to this."

"_What happened Beckett?" Esposito asked with worry._

"There's at least one other vic… To add to our case. Mrs. Fiona Whitting," Kate replied.

"_What happened?"_

"The drug call was a fake. It was form my father's killer to buy her time to set up a trap for Castle and me_," _Kate paused for a moment remembering the terror of the explosion before she continued, "Castle and I got to the house and knocked on the door no one answered so we knocked again. When no one answered the second time I got suspicious because the lights and TV were on. We went around the front to the garage and went in. The car was there. Then someone started shooting at us. I pulled Castle down behind the car and saw a woman holding a match. The car's gas line had been cut and gasoline spilled all over the concrete. She dropped the match and I told Castle to run because he hadn't seen what I had. We ran out into the front yard and dropped down…"

"Ma'am," the EMT was talking to her.

"Give me a moment Esposito," she commented and covered the phone.

"Ma'am, we need to take you to the hospital and see how deep that cut really is," the EMT informed her, "You've lost a lot of blood so we'll need to keep you overnight for observation."

"I'm fine, sir," Kate replied annoyed at the mention of a hospital stay but in reality she wasn't really sure how fine she was, "Just stitch me up, and let me be on my way."

"Don't listen to her," Castle interjected.

"Ma'am there is no way I'm going to allow you to leave. Get in the ambulance we'll stitch you up at the hospital."

Kate was shocked as Castle, who had since given the kid back to her parents, picked her up and climbed into the ambulance.

"Castle!" she yelled though with less annoyance in her voice than she wished she'd had, "Castle, put me down!"

"Kate, you're being ridiculous if you think that I'm going to let you drive my car all the way back to New York City with that cut and your lack of blood,"

Kate almost laughed at his humor.

"_Beckett, are you still there?" a voice yelled out of her phone and she realized she had not yet hung up._

"Sorry, Esposito," Kate replied, "Put me down Castle; I can walk on my own, thank you."

"Sorry Kate," Castle replied but still refused to put her down.

"Castle…"

"_Do I want to know what's happening? Should I just hang up the phone?"_

"Castle is just being a Jack-ass," she reached up and grabbed Castle's nose.

The author immediately let go of her yelling "apples."

"Thank you, Castle," she commented as she landed on her back on the floor of the ambulance. The phone in her hand went skittering across the metal floor and under the gurney.

"_Beckett, where are you?"_

"I'm in an ambulance going to some hospital because Castle here seems to think that I might die," she quipped.

"Hey it's perfectly possible, you're still bleeding. That EMT may have bandaged you arm but that didn't stop it," Castle commented.

"I'm fine Castle!"

"_Why are you bleeding Beckett?" Esposito asked._

"I got cut by a piece of glass. It's really nothing to worry about," she commented.

"_Alright, Beckett, just take care of yourself. I'm going home so I'll see you."_

"Esposito…"

"_Don't, Beckett," _

Esposito hung up. Kate pressed the button to end the call and closed her phone. She slipped it back into it holder on her belt and sat down on one of the benches inside the ambulance. Castle sat down beside her and they both stared at the other metal wall. Castle shifted and Kate felt his arm drape around her shoulders. She stiffened unsure of what he was doing. The contact and closeness was not something she welcomed.

"Castle?"

"Sorry,"

Castle returned his arm to his side and resumed a silent thoughtful position. This was that mature side of Castle again, the side that was entirely strange to her. She wasn't sure what to make of it so she said nothing. Kate was not fond, of change and she was beginning to miss the old Castle with his sexual innuendos and wise-ass comments. She was beginning to think about her father again too and couldn't seem to piece things together in her mind. It was a painful situation and she thought about the case now to keep her mind off the fact that she and Castle had almost been killed.

Castle's phone began to ring with a loud and obnoxious ringtone.

"Hello?" he answered it.

His phone was so loud Kate could hear the voice on the other side of the line.

"_Dad, where are you, it's almost one in the morning. You never work cases this late. What happened?"_ it was Alexis.

"Alexis, I'm sorry! I should have called. I'm not going to be home tonight okay, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. A lot has happed," Castle replied

"_Richard Castle, what on earth are you doing still at work? I swear to God someday you are going to give me a heart attack!" _that was Martha

"Is that what it's going to take to get you out of my house?" Castle joked.

"_Dad this is serious. We just want know you're okay and where you are." _Alexis' practically voice cut across his playful one.

"I'm fine, Alexis. I'm in the back of an ambulance on my way to Philadelphia,"

"_You're not hitchhiking again dear, are you because really, the best way to get from place to place is to drive that car of yours," Martha commented._

"_Why are you in an ambulance, Dad?"_

"Beckett, got herself hurt,"

"I… Castle," Kate commented then realized she had nothing to scold him for because he hadn't used her first name.

"_What were you doing that would merit a trip to the hospital?" Alexis asked._

"We were going to see a suspect's wife. We had some more questions for her and we wanted to tell her that her husband was no longer wanted for murder. It was all a trap though. Somebody blew up the car and Beckett and I were there. I was down on the ground before the explosion but Kate was still running when it happened. Something sharp cut her arm pretty deeply," Castle replied.

"_Someone tried to blow you up," Alexis' voice seemed as filled with fear as it was annoyance, "Dad you really have to be careful. I can't be the one to let you go out and get yourself killed. This is the worst case you've taken yet as far as risks. Please, please be careful."_

"Don't worry, Pumpkin, I'll be fine. It will take a lot more than an exploding car to knock me down, figuratively speaking of course," Castle replied and Kate rolled her eyes at his cocky attitude. Only Castle would be so nonchalant after nearly getting killed.

"_Fine, Dad, I'll let you off the hook this time," Alexis replied playing at some humor before becoming serious again, "But Dad?"_

"Yeah Pumpkin?"

"_If something happened to you I don't know what I would do." Alexis commented, "Goodnight Dad, I'll see you tomorrow."_

"Night, Star Baby," Castle close the phone and slid it back into his pocket.

"Nice ringtone, Castle," Kate commented trying to seize some humor for the moment.

"You like it?"

"Sure I do…about as much as I like you Castle" Kate replied without realizing that what she said could be interpreted in many ways.

"That could either be good or bad," Castle laughed though there was a part of his face that, to Kate, didn't seem fully into the joke.

"So why aren't you going to be home until tomorrow afternoon?" She asked.

"Well someone has to be here to drive you home don't they?" Castle replied.

"I'll just make my way home the old fashioned way," She contradicted, "I'll take the bus."

"What and miss all the fun and torment of a ride home with me," Castle asked in mocking charm.

"Oh, however will I live?" She smiled in reply enjoying that he was finally making light of the situation.

"No, I'm driving you home, whether I have to throw you in the back of my car or not," Castle replied.

"Castle, is that a threat?" Kate laughed and then extended her comment, "It's too bad you would be dead if you even tried."

"We'll see," Castle commented, "My muse."

He added the comment to the end of his statement and Kate punched him.

(Later)

Kate was lying in the hospital bed only because she had been extremely tired when they'd arrived and the ER had been logged with cold victims. She and Castle had sat in the waiting room for hours and then she'd finally been admitted. The doctor had stitched her skin back together and then the doctor had insisted that, because of her loss of blood, she should be kept overnight for observation. Much to her irritation Castle had insisted upon staying so she couldn't even be alone.

"You know Castle, one of these days I really am going to hurt you," she commented after he'd spent fifteen minutes whining about the state of hospital food.

"What, it's not like the food has to be like this,"

"Most sick people don't care about what their food tastes like," Kate replied.

"Well their company does,"

"You don't have to stay Castle," Kate commented dryly, "I never asked you to. Go find some decent restaurant to put down."

"You react so much better to the complaints though,"

Kate groaned and leaned her head back against the pillow waiting for the doctor to discharge her.

"Alright, Miss Beckett, you are free to go," the doctor handed her the papers and a bottle of a painkiller which she dumped into a garbage can on her way out the door.

a/n- alright that's it for this chapter. I swear this chapter wrote itself. Sorry it took so long. I was waiting for my mom to leave me alone for an extended period of time. I have to go sing in a concert so wish me luck. Broadway Show Tunes. Always fun. My favorites are in "Les Miserables".

Tabitha

P.S. Please review if you read this. I don't like to beg but I feel I must so, please review. I'm sacrificing all of my pride and dignity asking this. Oh and the Kentucky Derby runs tonight. Can't wait to see the outcomes!!


	5. Chapter 5

Kate sat in the passenger seat for the second time in two days. Her arm was throbbing, and every time she moved it felt as though the stitches were about to pull free and tear her skin. But against everything that had happened in the last few days, she'd decided she was lucky to even be alive.

"So…" Castle started and she had to suppress a groan.

"What Castle?" she snapped.

"I had this thought the other night while you were at my apartment," Castle commented.

"Oh, and what was that?" she found herself somewhat curious even though it went against all the barriers she'd raised between herself and Castle.

"I have this… party I'm going to in a tomorrow. It's a book release for one of my old friends," he continued, "And I thought, that it would only be proper for me to bring my newest muse…"

"Castle, do you want me to break your legs now or when we get back to the precinct?" Kate commented in annoyance but only half so because recently there'd been a part of her that didn't mind him calling her, his muse.

"So, come with me?" Castle proposed.

Kate looked at him for a moment, not entirely having expected him to ask her even though he'd been alluding to it. Then she considered, rather absurdly, what the ramifications of just accepting the invitation would be. She could not think that way. He was Castle!

"No, Castle," she replied wondering if she'd regret it later.

"Oh come on Kate. It'll be fun," Castle commented not taking his eyes off the road, "You need some fun."

"Castle, in case you haven't noticed, my father was murdered three days ago! You can't expect me to go gallivanting about the city with you just because it would be fun," Kate snapped anger rushing out from somewhere inside her, "And believe me Castle, your book release parties are the last places I ever want to be," she turned her head toward the window so that Castle could not see that she was, yet again, crying.

"Kate…"

"Castle, don't call me Kate," she growled at him.

"Kate, I respect that your father just died but the only way to get over it is to eventually trust that you can live without him," Castle commented, again surprising her with a flash of maturity, "And right now the best way to do that is to come with me to the release party."

"Castle, no,"

"And, for the record, it's not my party; it's Madeline Windern's," Castle corrected.

"No," she snapped in reply.

"Kate," Castle whined.

This time she actually punched him, wincing as the stitches in her arm pulled across her already tight skin.

"Please,"

"No,"

"Come on, Kate," Castle begged using a voice she'd only heard once before.

"Castle, I said 'no'!" Kate replied.

She sat in the passenger seat and glared out the window, praying for the ride to go faster. She wanted to get back and compile the information she'd gathered. Rather distractingly though, was the fact that she could occasionally Castle's gaze on her.

_That cipher,_ she thought_, What was it if not a diversion? Then again…_ she thought, _was that person setting a trap for Castle or me. Was it both of us or just a ploy to rid us of our evidence?_

"I think the somebody's afraid of crowds. I think Kate is afraid of having to talk to other people, people she doesn't work with," Castle commented, using a voice usually reserved for people younger than the age of two.

That was it. She couldn't take it anymore, "Pull over, Castle! Now!"

Castle seemed to know he'd gone too far, but she didn't care. She watched him turn the wheel so they were sitting over against the berm of the road. Kate thrust her door open and walked around the car to Castle's door, which she pulled open. Reaching forward, she grabbed Castle's arm and pulled him from the car.

"You know what Castle; I'm just about done with you! I'm sick and tired of your disrespect for me. You want to be arrogant writer boy, with your twenty-six best-selling novels, go do it where I can't here you! If you want to shadow me, you will do what I say when I say it!" Kate paused to take a breath, "And when I tell you I don't want to do something I really mean I don't want to do it!" She could feel the anger running through her and yet she was annoyingly aware of the fact that she was standing only a few inches away from Castle.

"Kate, if you come with me to this party I promise to respect you. I promise to obey your commands and behave," Castle negotiated.

She was fighting with herself. She knew none of it would actually happen, that Castle could never contain himself, but there was a part of her urging her to say yes. The same part that always caused her to give into him, "Castle I…" She stopped herself, "…Fine!!" she snapped and closed her eyes knowing she wouldn't want to see his reaction to her acceptance.

Then something she'd not expected happened. It was light at first, nothing more than the feeling of a breeze as you sat on atop a grassy hill, but then there was something more. Something had managed to make its way around to the back of her neck and was holding her head. For a few moments, she didn't believe what was happening. She was standing on the side of the interstate for God's sake. Castle was actually kissing her and, to her horror, she was letting him. Everything in her mind was screaming in protest to this kind of interaction, all the sense that she had told her that this was very stupid. Now though, her brain was beginning to shut that out like the noisy puppy locked outside because of its yapping.

Castle had her trapped now. Somehow he managed, and she had no doubt through years of practice, to get her pressed back against the car. There was a moment when the noisy puppy almost won the battle then and she struggled with her incoherent brain trying to force it to let the puppy in but she couldn't get her mind to function. Castle had one hand around her back and his other wandering up and down her side Kate couldn't stop herself from shivering with pleasure at his touch. The damn puppy had been put in training classes and was now silent as the grave.

Somehow, she didn't know how, they'd managed to get the door of the back seat open. She could feel Castle push her around the door and down onto the leather lined interior of the rear of the car. Kate's phone began to ring but it went unnoticed. After it had stopped, Castle began to ring the same but the effects were the same.

(Later)

Kate was sitting next to Castle in a car that had suddenly become much too small. Traffic was horrible. Thanks to their rather spontaneous "delay" they'd managed to get back during rush hour.

Castle was tapping his finger against the steering wheel like he did when he had a good hand in poker. She glared for a moment at this thinking about the many violations she'd made to her personal code for this subject. Kate began to list them in her head. No sex unless you're in a good and stable relationship. No sex before you've been dating six months. Absolutely no sex with coworkers. No sex while on duty. No sex at random times, at random places, with random inappropriate men. And, she thought, absolutely no sex with anyone by the name of Richard Castle.

_But it was really good, _she thought wistfully for a moment and looked over at Castle as they entered into yet another traffic jam. _Stop it Kate! You're not some Catholic School Girl in a slutty relationship; You're a grown woman, a detective, with a good job and a personal code which you broke several times over today! _ Kate turned her face toward the window silently wondering what would happen in Castle's novel tonight.

Kate could see the precinct off to the right. Something seemed wrong though. This street which she had driven through at all times of the day was never this jammed. The only explanation for it to be jammed would be that the cars were unable to pass all the way through. She couldn't see the cause of the blockage but could see that the street was clear beyond the precinct. Kate threw open the door to the car and it slammed against the side of another vehicle. The horn blew in the other car but she ignored it and pulled her badge out of the pocket she kept it in so she would have it handy if need be. She heard another door slam and knew Castle had followed suit. Kate wove her way through the traffic as fast as humanly possible.

The Chief, Esposito, Ryan, and Lanie were all gathered around something on the ground. Lanie was writing something on a clip board and seemed to be examining what Kate had deducted, by now, was a body. She saw some other officers swarming around as well and an ambulance sat off to the left side of the road. A very familiar looking six year-old girl was in the back. As Kate reached the group of detectives she slowed and came to stand beside them. Her arm was throbbing painfully and almost felt as though the stitches were going to pull free, but she knew better than that. Castle arrived behind her panting and placed a hand on her shoulder to balance himself. She jumped in surprise.

"Castle!" her voice was sharp as she attempted to keep it steady.

"Right- sorry- carry on" Castle panted and she almost laughed.

"What happened?" She was addressing Lanie.

She looked down at the body to find a woman probably not more than a few years older than herself. She was burned to the point of being almost unrecognizable.

"Annabelle Lee Parker, 33" Lanie replied and stood, a wallet was in her hand which she gave to Kate.

Kate looked down at the powder blue leather wallet in her hands and took a deep breath before opening it. She read the information inside her heart falling. _Who could possibly be this angry at her or her father_?

"We did a check on her. She was here to see you. She was in a panic. Someone had been sending her notes written in that cipher. She hadn't heard about your father. When I told her you weren't here she seemed disappointed and then worried. She had her daughter Margaret Annie Parker with her. She'd just picked her up from school. The girl doesn't know what happened," Lanie explained,

"Your car seemed to have been rigged," Esposito commented, "The minute she walked out the door it blew. The blast hit her dead on and only glanced her daughter. We tried to call you but you didn't pick up."

"What happened, Beckett? I need you to always answer your phone," the chief sounded irritated and slightly disappointed, "You too Castle! You are part of the force for as long as you are shadowing Beckett."

"It won't happen again, sir," Kate replied trying to fight a blush of embarrassment that threatened to rise into her face.

"Very well, Beckett. I have some paperwork to fill out so I'll leave you four to assess the situation," Montgomery left, walking back into the precinct.

"Kate?" Castle's voice was questioning.

"Don't call me Kate, Castle!" she reprimanded.

"How is she related to the others?" Castle questioned.

"She was the niece of Thomas Beckett and Fiona and Marvin used to babysit her and I when we were…" she trailed off realizing it was not just Castle she was talking to, "I'm going to go talk to the kid."

Kate turned away from the reckage of her car and the body, making her way over to the ambulance.

"Hey, Megs," she crouched so that she was at eye level with the six year-old.

"Hi Auntie Katie!" the girl replied, "Who's that?"

"Who?" She stood and spun around, only to realize that Castle was right behind her, "Castle!" she put her hands forward to keep space between them.

"What?" he asked.

"Stop following me," she turned back to the little girl, "How are you feeling Megs?"

"I hurt, and my arm stings," the girl replied, "Do you think mommy will kiss it for me?"

Kate felt her eyes stinging with tears as she utter that last phrase. She knew why it affected her like that and she knew what this little girl would go through living life and growing up without a mother.

"Auntie Katie, why are you crying?" the little girl sat staring up at her.

Kate sat down on the edge of the ambulance and pulled Meg close to her.

"I'm sorry, Megs, your mommy can't kiss it and make it better," she choked.

"Why?" Meg looked up at her eyes wide and suddenly scared.

"Megs, your mommy isn't going to come back, okay? Your mommy passed away," she could think of no other way to say it.

"Mommy!" the little girl seemed to be in a panic. She gave a violent squirm and wrenched herself out of Kate's arms. Meg went running toward the precinct and Kate went after her trying to stop her before she saw her mother. Castle reached the girl first and caught her around the middle.

"Megs, you're going to come with me, okay?" Kate approached them.

"I want my mommy!" Meg cried.

"Megs, you can't have your mommy. You have to come with me and wait for your daddy to come and get you," Kate saw that it was probably not worth it to try to reason with the six year old so she turned to Castle, "Bring her into the precinct," she stepped closer to Castle and whispered, "And for God's sake don't let her see her mother."

Castle, to her surprise, nodded and followed her into the building the squirming girl in his arms.

(Later)

Kate was looking at the murder board. She'd taken the marker and crossed out all of the men's names. She knew now, that the killer was a woman; she'd seen her face in the darkness under the car. It had been somewhat skewed however from the light of the match the shadows throwing it into sharp relief and distorting what she really saw. She'd seen her father's killer though even if for only a few seconds.

She took a sip of her coffee and gagged. She was back to the old precinct coffee machine because the expresso machine made her think about Castle more than she wanted to allow herself. After having sex with him that afternoon she had no desired to be anywhere close to him for fear of what she might do. There were only a few people there besides herself, Lanie and Castle being among them. Castle, of course, would not leave before she did. In fact he was hovering by the desk as he always did watching her think. She turned around to look for him.

"Castle, you're watching me think and drink really bad coffee. It's creepy!" she snapped.

"Really, we're just going to go back to, poking fun at each other?" Castle replied a smug grin on his face.

"Yes, it seems like the best way to handle this," Kate looked around and saw the one of the janitors was watching them intently. She jerked her heard toward the break-room and stood. Once inside she turned around leaning against the table and staring at Castle as he walked through the door, "Close it."

Castle's grin widened and he shut the door before turning back to her.

"We can't talk about this at work, and you won't be sharing it with anyone you know, inside or outside the precinct. Do you understand? You won't tell your poker buddies, you won't even make allusions to it. Am I clear?"

"You liked it though,"

"That's not the point!" Kate snapped.

"You did! So, wanna come home with me?" Castle asked.

"N…no Castle!" Kate looked at him surprised by his ego, "I brought you in here to make sure you knew I didn't want other people to know about earlier. That's all."

"Alright then, I'll wait for you to finish with your work, Kate. Then I'll take you back to your apartment," Castle actually seemed disappointed.

"I'll get a ride home with Lanie. Go and get some rest, you did sleep in a hospital chair last night," she didn't know why but she was trying to lighten the mood.

Castle looked at her and then stepped forward rather abruptly. Her knees were between his legs as he kissed her softly before leaving. Kate stared after him, her eyes wide. She'd thought it was all about the fun of the chase for him, and never considered that he may actually like her. Cursing silently in her mind she raised her fingers to her lips. She couldn't be falling for Castle! It just wasn't an option. Kate looked at the cup of coffee in her hand. It suddenly seemed unnecessary to her. She dumped it in the garbage can and left the break room. She walked back to her desk. Castle had already left but there was a note on her computer that said "Until tomorrow, Detective". She smiled.

(Later)

Kate sat on one of the metal tables in the ME's lab. Lanie wasn't there; she assumed she'd gone to get something to eat. She was waiting for her to get back. In the silence she was trying to focus her mind on something other than the case or Castle but really nothing else had taken up residence lately. Everything seemed to be in some way related to one, or both. _Four days, _she thought_ it had been four days. God, I hate Mondays!_

"Kate!" Lanie's voice echoed slightly in the lab.

"Hey, Lanie," she greeted.

"I usually don't see you in here unless we're looking at a body. So…"

"I need a ride home," she replied to her friend.

"What, Writer Boy not ferrying you around anymore?" Lanie asked.

"Decided to take a night off," Kate replied shortly.

"That doesn't sound like you're very pleased with it,"

"I've had a tough day,"

"Sorry about your cousin Kate. You've had a really rough week," Lanie reacted kindly.

Kate looked at her friend and decided she needed someone to talk to. Lanie was cleaning off her examination tools and didn't seem to notice her scrutiny. There was a long silence and then she spoke.

"I lost my pants," she sputtered.

Lanie turned around and looked at her, "You mean 'I lost my favorite pair of jeans' or 'Someone took them off of me'?"

"Someone took them off of me Lanie. Why would I be telling you about it if I had literally lost my jeans?" Kate snapped, regretting she'd brought it up now.

Lanie put down the scalpel she'd been cleaning and gave her her full attention. When she wasn't forthcoming she spoke.

"So do I know the guy?"

She was about to say know but decided that she should tell her friend the truth, "Yes"

"Really?" Lanie raised her eyebrows, "Do I know him from here?"

"Yes,"

"Does he…?"

"Oh for God's sake Lanie, I slept with Castle!" she shouted minorly relieved that it actually helped to say it at such a decibel.

Lanie looked shocked. For a moment she looked like her mouth might actually open wide enough to swallow a watermelon whole.

"About time!" she finally said.

"What?"

"Oh come on Kate, the two of you have practically been screaming hormonal idiots trying to hate each other since you arrested him," Lanie commented.

"Lanie!"

"Whether you like it or not, it's true, Kate. Now you'll just have to figure out what to do,"

"I'm not going to do anything. I explained to him that it was a mistake. He knows that it shouldn't have happened and that it was stupid. I just wonder…" she stopped herself from continuing.

"What Kate?"

"Before he left tonight, when I was done talking with him, he kissed me," she replied quietly.

"Well you did sleep with him," Lanie interjected.

"No it wasn't like that. I always thought he was just in it for the chase, for the fun of annoying me and trying to get me in bed with him," Kate looked up from the particular spot on the floor that she had been studying, "I just can't see why he did that if he was really just in it for the chase."

"Maybe he actually like you Kate," Lanie replied as though the answer was obvious.

"God it's been so long since I've had to think about this stuff. I forget what to do," Kate almost smiled as she said it.

"Come on, think about that later," Lanie grinned, "So…" she looked mischievously at her friend, "How was it?"

"Lanie!"

"Come on, you're going to tell me you had sex with the writer boy but you can't give me details? What kinda fun are you?" Lanie's tone was friendly and teasing.

"It was.. fine," she said rather grudgingly not want to admit what it really was to her.

"Seriously, girl? That's really what you're going to stick with?" Lanie's voice was almost comically incredulous.

"Okay?" Lanie looked at her knowing she was lying, "Good?" a pause, "Great?" another pause, "Amazing?" she finally relented.

"There you go!" Lanie exclaimed.

The longer the two talked the more comfortable the situation got and Kate felt herself settling in to having a friend.

(Later)

Castle walked through his front door unusually early, at eight o-clock. Alexis was watching him and was unable to disregard that though he had an exaggerated bounce to his step he wore a perplexed and slightly disgruntled expression on his face. He took his coat off and headed for his room but was intercepted by his daughter.

"Dad, are you alright. You seem distracted." Alexis commented.

Castle smiled at his daughter, "I'm fine pumpkin, don't worry about me."

"Why are you home early? You usually don't get back before ten," she continued to interrogate him.

"Again, you are like those reporters and the press conferences. You'd really do well in that field," Castle replied to her and put an arm over her shoulders.

"I might look in to it but you still didn't answer my question. Why are you home so early?"

"You want to get rid of me, my own daughter. I'm hurt," Castle replied pretending his heart was aching and leaning dramatically on her.

"Dad, just answer the question. You're going to crush me if you don't stop that?" Alexis indicated she wasn't going to take any crap from him.

"Beckett sent me home. I'm only there late because I have had to bring her home every night this week and she works on the case all night sometimes," Castle replied but Alexis could tell something about his nonchalant statement was false. She knew him well enough to know that.

"Dad?" Alexis stepped in front of him blocking his path, "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. I worked on the case and Kate worked on the case. Then I drove home."

"You didn't…" Alexis was looking at her father with surprise and slight horror.

"Wha…" he trailed off, he didn't like to lie to her.

"Dad, that's the way to screw up just about anything! No matter how many times you do this you never seem to understand," Alexis was clearly irritated now, "Why aren't you gloating about it or making your dirty jokes about it?"

"Kate asked me not to," Castle replied lamely, defeated.

"Wow you really do like her," Alexis replied, "Next time be a bit better at acting because this is a part of your life that a daughter doesn't want to know about."

"You wouldn't have to if you'd left well enough alone."

"Night, Dad,"

"Night Alexis,"

(Later)

_I'll just play it by ear, _Kate thought as she made her way into the precinct the next morning. _Hopefully Castle will stay home today._ Her thoughts were dashed when she saw Castle sitting in her chair his feet up on her desk. Ryan and Esposito were holding cups of expresso and looking extremely tired. Castle, though, seemed wide awake and well rested. Kate looked at him for a moment and then made her way over to her desk. She slammed the file down and placed a cup of coffee on it. Castle turned to look at her and smirked.

"Out of my chair Castle!" Kate snapped.

"Only if I get a kiss,"

Kate opened her mouth and then closed it. Ryan and Esposito suddenly looked very awake. They were watching intently. She opened her mouth and made to speak but now words came out. She reached forward and grabbed Castle's ankles, shoving them off the desk and then took hold of his shirt fabric and pulled him up from her chair. She gave him a good shove while he was off balance and he stumbled back into the other detectives' desks. She let a smile of satisfaction cover her face and then sat down in her chair.

"Dude, you are an idiot," Esposito commented to Castle and then turned back to his computer.

Kate looked over at them and then back at her computer. On the computer were the letters of the several ciphers typed into a word document. None of them made any sense but there seemed to be patterns because there were so many lines. There were the six lines that had been on her father's arms and the four from the notes her cousin had gotten. Then there was the note that had been in her car tire. It was like cryptograms but ten times more complicated and important. She took a breath as she saw one word in plain English typed below them.

"There's a key to the cipher. You have to know the key," she commented suddenly, "If the killer was trying to get us to interpret the ciphers then she would have chosen something that was connected to the victim. That would mean she would have had to have known the victims very well or knew someone that knew them well."

Ryan and Esposito were looking at her attentively. Castle had come over and was leaning on the back of her chair. She got up and crossed to the board.

"Thomas Beckett and Fiona Whitting were related through his arrest of Mrs. Whitting's husband. Annabelle Parker was Thomas Beckett's neice," she bit her lip, "All three knew each other rather well. I knew all three rather well."

"What do you mean?" Castle commented.

"Our list of suspects just got a whole lot longer." Esposito commented.

Kate nodded and turned in her chair to face the other three.

"Ryan, look up anybody we've arrested that might have family with a grudge against us to see if they have motive. Esposito I want you to talk to that little girl from the explosion. Castle, you come with me. We need to talk to Mr. Whitting and Mr. Parker.

a/n- ok so don't hate me for rushing their relationship. I do still have some tricks up my sleeve. Also you should know that this is not going to be the only Castle fic I write. When this one is done there will be another mystery and another case. I personally can't wait to get to that one either. My sister gave me some cool ideas by accident. Most of my stuff is really freaky. I think you'll like it though. I won't start it before I finish this one because, well where would the fun in that be? I hope you liked this chapter though, and like I said, I have some twists left. (more than some)


	6. Chapter 6

"Kate," Castle called to her as he followed her out.

"What Castle?" she turned to him and stopped.

"I'm driving," Castle raced past her.

"Castle!" she sighed and followed him. There were times when he was so mature and others where he acted like and eight year-old.

She got into the passenger seat and put on her seat-belt. Castle didn't start the car right away. He looked over at her and grasped her hand. Kate raised an eyebrow at the gesture. _What was up with him? _He released her hand and turned the key. They pulled away from the precinct and down the road.

"So where are we bound?"

"Upper Manhattan," she replied.

"Wow, most of your family lives there don't they?"

"Just about everyone but me," she commented.

"Your family does have a lot of money don't they?"

"Yes Castle it does,"

"Where did it come from?"

"My mother came from a family with a lot of money. It's her family that lives in Manhattan. My father only had a few living relatives and they live in Chicago," she stated to him wondering why he was asking all of these questions.

Castle was silent for a little while. She watched him. He didn't seem at all like the self-obsessed jack-ass she'd first meant. Maybe all this shadowing was good for him. He seemed to realize that there were other people in the world besides him now.

"So why don't you have money?" Castle asked, "You always talk about the how there are some people who are fortunate enough to have money and squander it."

"I do have the money." She replied quietly, "I could do anything I want Castle, but because I am who I am and I've lived a hard life I can't be anything else."

"I respect that. I couldn't be anything but a writer if my life depended on it," Castle replied

Kate smiled at him. He was being real and she was going to encourage it.

"Why are you asking, Castle?"

"Well generally one investigating a murder usually tries to get a background for the victim's family and their financial situation. You are the vics.' family after all," Castle answered.

She thought for a moment, "You're right Castle. I've never spoken to anyone because I'm the detective on the case. No one even bothered to ask me. I suppose, I assumed that because of what I already knew I could piece the case together, but what if that's the problem. I can't look at it all from on objective point of view."

She was thinking out loud now. It was irritating though because Castle kept looking her over. She could feel his eyes wandering over her searchingly. Regardless, she kept her gaze straight forward. When that didn't work, Kate looked down at her hands.

"So Beckett, I'm going to pick you up at nine tonight," Castle commented through her silence.

"Castle what…"

"You forgot? We're going to that release party tonight," Castle filled her in with amusement.

"Oh no…I'd…just. I was distracted," Kate looked away from him and out the window as she blushed.

"I really am mind-blowingly good aren't I?" Castle replied with a smug grin.

"Castle! I said I was distracted. That doesn't mean I liked the distraction," Kate replied trying to cover for herself.

"Oh but you did, I can tell," Castle contradicted, "You weren't half bad yourself."

"I…" she wasn't sure how to respond. It almost seemed like a joke just to throw her off balance but at the same time it seemed like her was telling the truth, "Turn here Castle."

Castle turned onto the street without a turn signal. He cut across the traffic allotting five or six angry honks. Kate rolled her eyes and focused on the road ahead of them.

(Later)

Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. I'm here to ask you a few questions about your wife's murder yesterday," Kate held her badge up so he could see it.

"Of course, Katie. Anything that will help put that Son of a Bitch behind bars,"

"We actually have reason to believe the perp. is a woman," Castle contradicted.

"Who the hell is he? You never said you had a partner. If he's some riff raff from the street I don't want him on my wife's case."

Castle extended his hand, "Richard Castle, author. Detective Beckett here is providing inspiration for my next set of novels."

"Inspiration? I didn't know you could inspire anyone Katie, least of all your favorite author,"

Kate looked at her cousin in law in surprise.

"Her favorite author? I'm your favorite author?" Castle commented.

"Castle, victim's family, let's try to focus," she reprimanded.

Kate sat down on the couch and looked at the man.

"Mark, I know this is hard, but when was the last time you saw or spoke to your wife?"

The man looked close to tears, his eyes already bloodshot and his face was blotchy.

"She called me before she went to pick up Meg from school. She was going to go see you. I'd known something was wrong for days. She'd be staring blankly at walls. Sometimes she'd even jump if she hadn't noticed I was there and she spotted me," the man looked up at her.

"Mr. Parker, were you aware that your wife had been receiving notes while at work that were written in code?" Kate queried.

"What?!" Mr. Parker looked up at her.

"Did anyone attempt to contact you in the last few days? Someone you don't like, or maybe someone she didn't like?" she continued.

"No, well her friend Millie called yesterday afternoon after she left. I've never liked Millie,"

"When was this?"

"About four yesterday. That should have been about the time she was picking up Megs," he replied.

"Do you happen to know Millie's last name?" Castle asked and Kate turned to look at him.

"Carmichel" Mr. Parker replied.

"Thank you, Mr. Parker," Kate made to stand but felt something close around her arm and stop her from leaving.

"Kate," it was Mr. Parker, "I'm sorry about your father. I just heard today. You're doing a great deal for his memory by working this case."

"And I'm sorry about Anna, Jim. I'm really sorry," Kate turned to her cousin-in-law, "If you or Meg ever need help please call me. I'll be there as quickly as I can."

"Thank you Kate,"

Kate turned and left the apartment following Castle out. Once outside she could feel Castle looking at her.

"What?" she asked but she didn't add a hard edge to it like she usually did. She just didn't have it in her.

"You still surprise me, Kate." Castle commented.

"If I no longer surprised you then there would be no reason for you to be following me around,"

"Well that could be argued," Castle replied.

Kate shot him a glance and then asked, "So what is it about me that surprised you this time?"

"You are a completely different person when the need is severe. You have an entirely different side to you. You handled him well,"

"I know I did Castle." Kate replied as she climbed into the driver's seat of the car.

Castle climbed into the passenger's seat and looked over at her. She was watching him too. She saw he was wearing one of his smug little expressions. Kate wondered for a moment what it could be about but assumed that she probably didn't want to know. The mind of Rick Castle was not something she felt she wanted to analyze too deeply. She reached forward to turn the key and felt his hand stop her and pulled her towards him.

"Castle, what're you doing?" Kate asked trying, not whole heartedly, to pull away.

He ignored her.

"No Castle, we can't do this. What happened yesterday is not going to happened again. It was fun but now it's over. We're going to move on with our lives like adults," Kate pulled her wrist out of his grasp and turned the key.

(Later)

"Mr. Whitting," Kate walked into the room at the small holding prison near the precinct flanked by Castle.

"Get away from me. You're the reason my wife is dead. For all it's worth I should kill you right now with my bare hands, you bitch!"

Kate opened her mouth at his reaction. She'd been called worse, but only by drunk men she'd picked up while investigating various murders. Never had anyone called her that that was mentally fully capable. Or so closely knit into her history. Castle seemed equally stunned; when she looked at the man he appeared to be fighting with himself about whether to comment or not.

"Mr. Whitting, your wife was dead before I reached the scene. We just didn't know it yet. I need to ask you whether anyone threatened either you or your wife," Kate began.

"I'm not going to tell you anything. You can pry all you want detective but my lips are sealed,"

Kate studied the man and realized that it would be worthless for her to attempt to talk to him. She stood and left, Castle following her.

"Do you usually just leave if they refuse like that?"

"Call it a sense. He would never have revealed anything to us."

"How could you tell that?"

"Because he just lost his wife and, as you can see, we are at fault for her death in his eyes, whether or not we had anything to do with it," Kate replied and made her way through the doors and to the car. Castle got in beside her and they drove off. It was a very short drive so when Kate got out she went straight to her computer. She looked up the Whitting's and got exactly as before. Kate sighed. She saw a mug of coffee sitting next to her. She picked it up and started to drink it.

"Hey Beckett, the little girl you asked me to talk to," Esposito was standing by her desk looking down at her.

She looked up and gave him her attention.

"Her name is Marti Williams. She said someone came to the house. She said she was an old lady with black hair. When I asked her whether Mrs. Whitting knew the lady, she said that they seemed to be friends," he paused, "The woman told her that she should go into the other room and play with her toys because they had grown up stuff to talk about. She left and then she heard them argue and then someone, I'm guessing Mrs. Whitting, screamed," Esposito finished.

Kate nodded but didn't say anything. Esposito grabbed a chair and pulled it over beside her desk, "Beckett?"

"Hmm?" she replied still thinking about what he had said.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this. None of us have said it but really, under normal circumstances you wouldn't even be allowed to work the case. You'd have to be home. The only reason you're allowed to be on this case is because you're the best this city has, and we figured that it would be cruel not to let you, so the chief did some arm twisting."

Kate looked at him and bit her lip. He was being honest with her which, from Esposito, was not unusual but now it seemed most everyone was treating her as the victims family instead of the detective. She had known they would at some point but it didn't make it any easier. Kate turned to Ryan who was still at his computer busily tapping away and decided to ask Esposito to do it.

"Esposito, get pictures of all our suspects. Make note of the ones who have black hair or something close to it. I want a list," she ordered

"Right away, boss" Esposito rolled his chair back to his desk and began typing on his computer.

Kate watched him for a moment and then turned back to her own. There was the cipher with that word. Receipt. It had to have a pattern. In desperation she Googled ciphers. There were several that came up and but most were either too simple or made of pictograms. All seemed to have nonsense letters but none seemed as random as theirs. She began to wonder whether they really were just a red herring.

"Kate!" it was Castle, "Kate, you're going to love this!"

"Oh am I, Castle?" Kate turned to him raising an eyebrow but lowered it and backed away when he placed his hands on the arms of the office chair.

"You remember the friend I told you about, the professor of cryptology?" Castle asked enthusiastically.

"Yes, what about it Castle?"

"She's agreed to meet us for lunch tomorrow to discuss the cipher," Castle replied.

"Why can't she talk to me over the phone?" Kate asked irritably.

"She's not allowed to discuss any of her knowledge over the phone. It's too risky," Castle answered, "Calls are traceable and she can't risk being traced in accordance to her work."

"Alright Castle, set it up. If it means getting past this cipher then I'll do it," Kate looked at him for a moment inappropriately wishing he would back off a bit.

"Great! Wait what time is it?"

Kate suddenly remembered the party and glanced down at her dad's watch. It was seven-thirty. How had it already gotten that late?

"Hey Esposito, we have to check out. He has a thing with his publisher and promised to bring me. I'll keep my cell on just in case you find anything else," Kate called over to them.

"Alright, boss," Esposito looked at her for a moment but he didn't comment any farther so she didn't feel the need to reprimand him.

Kate stood and made her way to the door. Castle followed her closely and they got into the car together. She drove her way to her apartment and then handed the car off to Castle.

"Give me an hour," she instructed and then made her way to across the lobby to the elevator.

It was not until she'd gotten into her apartment that she realized she really didn't have anything to wear. She had the dress from the last occasion Castle had taken her to but it seemed strange to wear the same thing over again. Not to mention it was a book release party and the dress was the sort of thing you wore to really fancy occasions. Her doorbell rang pulling her roughly from her thoughts.

Kate crossed to the door and opened it. She'd not expected anything in particular but Alexis was certainly not a person that ever would have crossed her mind.

"Firstly, Kate, my dad thinks I'm studying but I figured I could take a break tonight. I've pretty much done nothing but study for the last several weeks. I think I have the whole semester memorized so far. Secondly, I took the liberty of going shopping after school today. I bought you something because Dad just assumed that you could wear the same dress that you wore to the charity event but I know better. It was far too formal. Thirdly, I know about yesterday so you don't have to feel like you're hiding anything from me." Alexis pushed past her and into her room several things in her arms.

Kate bit her lip thinking about how she would have to ask Castle why precisely he'd told her daughter about the car incident. She had to admit though that the teenager had good taste. She watched as Alexis laid out the dresses on the couch. Kate took care not to look at the price tags when she examined them knowing that each one was probably very expensive. Deciding was hard. She felt like she was in high-school again and she was going to the prom.

Finally she decided on a dress that seemed appropriate for the event. It was a deep crimson that reached about mid way down her lower legs. It had no actual sleeves bit instead had a sort of red gauze that was attached at the shoulders and reached to her elbows. Alexis examined her and decided, much to Kate's delight, though she was loathe to admit it, that the dress suited her perfectly.

"I'll have to go help my dad. He can never tie a bow tie," Alexis left and Kate started laughing. She gathered up the mess they'd made in the sitting room and put on her makeup.

Her phone was ringing in the other room and Kate hadn't heard it until just now. She slid it open and answered.

"Beckett,"

"_Hey Boss, we've narrowed the list to three suspects, Nadine Finch, Mary Atler, and Amanda Atler," Esposito informed her._

"Thanks for telling me Esposito," her doorbell rang, "I have to go, but thanks for the update."

"_Boss there is a slight problem."_

"What?"

"_The Arson investigators for the Whitting fire say the person that was dead in the house was probably mid-forties and was definitely male," _

"What? Do we know who it is?"

"_We don't have any idea. Also the fact remains that there is no other evidence of another person in the house."_

"Fiona Whitting was either murdered along with someone else or she was never murdered." Kate commented, "You're absolutely sure?"

"_Yes Beckett" Esposito replied._

"Do a background check on her and make sure you see if she's had any recent interactions with the other suspects. Tomorrow we'll bring the others into questioning." Kate ordered, "Now Esposito, I really have to go before the doorbell drives me up a wall."

"_Go have fun Beckett," Esposito hung up the phone and the line went dead._

Kate shut her phone and crossed to the door which she opened. Castle was standing outside looking annoyed. She rolled her eyes when he gave her a poorly concealed check over before moving past him into the hall.

"So, what took you so long?" Castle asked as they got into the elevator.

"I got a call while I was on my way to the door," Kate replied, "They've narrowed the list down to three or four people."

"What Esposito and Ryan can't count?"

"The person murdered inside the Whitting house was male. We don't know who he is or where he is from. What we do know is that Mrs. Whitting was not in the house when the car blew."

"Interesting, so now Mrs. Whitting is a suspect?"

"Yes,"

"That's a twist," Castle commented with slight glee.

"You think you know a person and then something like this happens and everything you though you knew turns out to be a lie. That's the really difficult part." She commented.

Castle took her hand and squeezed it for a moment.

"Just try to enjoy yourself tonight Beckett," he instructed.

"Sure, kitten," she teased though she wasn't sure why. When he'd used her last name it surprised her. She'd gotten used to being Kate.

Kate left the elevator and got into the waiting car. Obviously Castle had rented a car for the evening because it certainly wasn't something she'd ever seen before. Although, it wasn't as though she spent a lot of her time with Castle outside of work. He opened the door for her and she got into the back seat. He went around to the other side and climbed in after shutting her door for her.

"Nice outfit for this kind of party," Castle commented.

Kate smiled at him for a moment thinking for a few moments of how she'd been stressing over what to wear before Alexis had showed up.

"I owe the choice to a friend," she replied.

"So you do have friends! Do tell,"

"Castle, of course I have friends but when you have a job like that of a cop, unless you work with you friends it's better to keep your home life to yourself. Like I said, unlike some people, I don't live my life on page six." She didn't know why she was acting like this tonight.

"Ouch, Kate!" Castle commented and then a mischievous look entered his eye, "You never know though. You could end up there sooner than you think. This is the second event you've accompanied me to. There's no telling what might end up in page six tomorrow."

"Castle!" Kate snapped and slapped him.

"And then there was yesterday," he added thoughtfully before he turned his gaze on her again.

"Yes Castle, I'm sure there are plenty of people who know about yesterday that would tell a magazine or newspaper," Kate replied with sarcasm and another eye roll. If he was going to talk about this he might as well get it out now rather than making such comments in front of the entire public world.

"You never know it was pretty public,"

"Yes to all of those people who can see through the tinted windows of the back seat of your car," she was tiring of this now, "I'm sure everybody in the world knows you license plate number and knew that it was you in that car."

"You never know, Kate, you never know,"

Kate watched as the car made its way out of the closely placed buildings of downtown and into the open properties that made up the Hamptons. The only time Kate ever came out to this eastern part of Long Island, was when she was working a case and then only rarely. It seemed to be a relatively freaky murder free area. She watched the large houses thinking about what people could possibly need all of those rooms for when the car turned into a circular driveway and stopped behind some other cars.

"Thank you sir," Castle handed the guy some money.

Kate watched him get out of the car and hold the door for her. She climbed out and he shut the door behind her. She took his proffered arm and they made their way up to the house.

"Richard!"Kate turned remembering the voice but not being able to place it. Castle on the other hand had frozen at the shrill cry.

She let go of Castle's arm and they both turned around to see a woman with strawberry blonde hair running toward them. Kate looked at Castle almost feeling like laughing though she felt at the same time and overwhelming urge to let the woman know that he was off limits. But then again he wasn't. Rick Castle was not hers nor was he tied to anyone else that she knew of.

"Meredith, what a surprise!" he was floundering, "I thought you were in LA."

"Well it just turns out that I'm going to be doing a movie in New York. Madeline Windern's book, _Fire Across the Sea_ is being turned into a movie. I'm playing, Nettie." The woman seemed so happy and yet Kate wanted to take her stupid cheerful attitude and twist it into something unbelievably miniscule.

"That's great!" Castle sounded as though he was not sure how to react to the appearance of his ex-wife.

"Yes congratulations," Kate commented.

"Detective Beckett, nice to see you again," the woman sounded anything but pleased to see her again.

"The same here," Kate looked at Castle who appeared to be barely keeping himself from laughing. His gaze was fixed on the two of them. She felt a smile tug at her lips as she saw how red his face was.

"So you two are here together I would imagine," Meredith commented.

The statement wasn't really a question but Kate felt the need to clarify it anyway.

"In a sense, yes,"

So she didn't actually clarify anything but her statement seemed to only encourage Meredith to squeeze between the two. Castle made a face at her and she smirked at him. This was pay-backs for the number of times a day that he put her through every possible annoying jibe he could think of. Though now, as they walked into the party as a three-some, she was beginning to understand what Castle had meant about his ex-wife being more annoying that he was. In fact he was right on about her being ten times worse. She didn't seem to ever run out of things to say and Kate was starting to try to find a way to get rid of her.

"Ricky!" a new voice came from behind them.

Kate turned and felt Castle do so beside her. She was really beginning to hate parties.

"Madeline, go to see you," Castle gave the woman a friendly hug before beckoning Kate forward. Surprised, she could do nothing but oblige, "Maddie, this is Detective Kate Beckett. Kate, Madeline Windern. Kate is my new muse,"

"Castle!"

"Right, inspiration," he amended quickly

"Well, Kate, you're a very lucky woman. I don't know of anybody who wouldn't love him," Madeline looked at the two of them with a smile.

It took a moment for Kate to respond to what had been said. Why were people always searching for a scandal at parties like these?

"Oh no, I think you have the wrong idea. Castle is basing his next character off of me. I'm just here so he can show me off. And," she turned to look at Castle for a moment, "because I would have heard no end of it if I hadn't agreed to come."

"You can't blame me for being persistent," Castle joked.

"Rick, you must tell me about your next character. I'm dying to know who is the heir to Storm's throne," the other author was looking completely the opposite of how Kate felt.

Kate felt strange at these events. Everybody seemed to know each other from somewhere or they were trying to pick someone up. It seemed that half of the people of importance in New York City were there.

"Not a chance, Maddie," she heard Castle say as she looked about, "I haven't revealed it to anybody yet. Not even my publisher."

"I'm sure Gina's just tickled pink about that isn't she?"

"Oh she's Dolores Umbridge," Castle replied with a laugh, "but far less toad like."

"So," Meredith interrupted Kate polite attention on the two conversing authors.

"Hmm?"

"How is life in the detective world? Are you still catching everyone?"

"Until quite recently yes. My current case has gotten even Castle stumped," Kate replied still keeping her tone polite and unemotional, "We're all running in circles."

"Well I suppose that would be difficult. I can't imagine working my father's case," Meredith commented, "Of course he is dead now so I really don't have to worry about it."

Kate blinked for a moment realizing that she'd known what was going on in the case the whole time. But why had she brought it up then?

"Yes, it is hard to deal with but I'm handling his death alright," Kate commented coldly, not wishing to prolong the conversation, "I've already been through it with one parent so I know what to expect."

"Really, you mother is dead too?"

_That was extremely stupid Katherine. Why on Earth would you bring you mother up? Now you'll definitely be having problems handling yourself! _She reprimanded herself.

"Kate, would you care to dance?" Castle had reached over and touched her shoulder.

"Of course, Castle," she commented with relief at the rescue, "Excuse us."

She took Castle's hand which he had offered, and allowed him to lead her over to where several people were waiting for the next song to begin. She jumped as Castle placed one of his hands on her waist and then relaxed a bit. She let her mind drift thinking about the case and how close they were getting. She felt a strange sense of happiness in anticipation of finally putting away the killer who'd driven them in circles for nearly five days.

Kate was startled out of her reverie. She was surprised to see that Castle had pulled her close so that they were dancing with their bodies touching. She almost shivered but caught herself and tried to relax again. She looked up at Castle for a moment and caught his blue gaze. His eyes were grinning at her, twinkling in there boyish way but somewhere beyond that she could see that he too was thinking and calculating though about what she couldn't tell. He seemed to pull her even closer and before she could do anything he kissed her.

Several thoughts were going through her head at the moment first and foremost being _you're_ _an idiot Kate, pull away _but no matter how much she tried she couldn't make her body respond to her mental stimuli. She let Castle pull away from her and then made her way across the room and through the front door to wait until the party was over. Just as she reached the front door her phone rang. She flipped it open.

"Beckett,"

"_Beckett we need you to come down to the station right away. There's something that doesn't make sense about this," _Esposito's voice came through the phone.

"Alright, I'll find Castle and be there in a few. I highly doubt that I can get a cheap cab in the Hamptons," she commented ruefully.

"_The Hamptons?"_

"Yes I got dragged to the Hamptons. I found out I really hate rich parties," she stated flatly.

"_Alright, bye boss,"_

Kate snapped the phone shut and plunged back through the glass front doors to find Castle

a/n- ok if it was bad I'm sorry. I'm writing through major writers block so I kind wrote some junk and hoped it came out okay. Hopefully it'll come out alright. And I told you I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Tabitha

Oh and tonight is the Castle season one finale. Castle supposed to get shot. Hopefully he makes it. If he doesn't it means to show is cancelled. Everybody, I'm an atheist and I'm praying to whatever God may or may not exist to please let the show continue. Somebody else pray with me!!


	7. Chapter 7

"Have you seen Rick Castle?" Kate was currently asking a blonde woman if she'd seen the author. His knack of disappearing was really getting to her nerves.

The woman turned to her and smiled, "If you're looking for my ex-husband he was over there talking to the mayor a while ago."

The comment took her by surprise. She'd of course remembered Castle saying he'd been married twice but never expected actually meet the second ex. The blonde woman extended a hand to her and she took it politely.

"Gina. And you are?"

"Kate Beckett," she replied.

"Well pleased to finally meet you Kate," the woman's nasal voice slightly sarcastic but interested at the same time.

"And it's nice to meet Castle's publisher," Kate said unsure how to respond.

"And from the sounds of what I've heard going about this room, Rick's taken a liking to you," Gina commented rather off-handedly.

"Oh no it's nothing like that. We just got caught up in the moment. Actually we're just good friends," Kate corrected her, though she wasn't sure why.

"Well you know how we people have tendency to gossip more than others," Gina replied attempting to be friendly.

"Gina, it's been a pleasure talking to you but I really have to…" Kate was cut off.

"Gina, I see you've met my muse," it was Castle and he looped and arm around her waist and pulled her up against him.

"Castle!" she hissed and he let go of her immediately.

"Well, this has been… insightful," Gina commented, "But as I can see, you two seem to be needing to leave."

"We do?" Castle asked turning toward Kate.

"Esposito called," she answered.

"Oh," Castle sounded slightly disappointed but hid it quickly, "Well Gina, as always."

Kate raised an eyebrow at his attitude toward the woman. She turned and made her way to the door knowing Castle would follow her. She waited for him at the end of the walk up to the house and turned around to see that he was yet again attempting to disentangle himself from his first ex-wife's tentacles of yapping. She frowned in annoyance. Why couldn't he just figure out how to ignore someone? When Castle finally joined her, he looked genuinely harassed. She didn't comment but instead kept her mouth shut while he called for the car.

It pulled up and they got in. The driver turned to them. To make sure both were seated before driving away from the house.

"Would you mind going a bit faster than you did on your way here? I'm running behind as it is," Kate asked him her polite tone slipping slightly.

"I was going the speed limit on the way here. That's fifty-five mile per hour. I would probably get a ticket because the police are out here all the time," the man argued.

"I am the police," she took her badge out of the pouch where she kept it and showed it to him.

For a moment the man looked worried he'd done something wrong and then realized that it had nothing to do with him at all, "Right then, I suppose I could push sixty five through the traffic but that's all the faster."

Kate sat back as she felt the car speed up. Castle was looking at her again, giving her that chilled and flushed feeling she always got when he did that. She turned toward the window and watched the many cars they were passing go by shimmering many different colors in the light of the street lamp.

"So what did you think of Gina?"

"She was abrasive in an invisible way. She'd probably make a better actress than Meredith." Kate commented.

Castle laughed and she turned to him. Her look was questioning and she saw he noticed it.

"It's- nothing Kate, just- it's as though you've- always known her," Castle gasped after his fits died, "Most people don't get that much out of their first impression."

"I'm a detective Castle; I'm supposed to notice things. Anything that is said I analyze." Kate commented and saw Castle's face change slightly. It was her turn to laugh, "But not everything Castle. If I analyzed half the things that you said to me I have a feeling I could guarantee a best seller."

"And what do you mean by that may I ask?"

"I think you know what I mean Castle,"

There was a silence then that stretched on for a few minutes.

"I apologize," Castle commented surprising Kate with the sincerity of his words.

"For what, Castle?" she inquired.

"For kissing you in front of everyone," Castle commented, "It didn't go unnoticed."

"Yes I heard that it was quite something from, Gina," Kate replied.

Castle looked at her. She could see that he was hoping that she wasn't going to be angry with him. She lifted a hand and held his cheek for a moment surprising herself by doing something quite that caring. She let it drop to her lap again.

"Good- well," Castle was stammering out some words.

She smiled and rolled her eyes at his awkwardness. To her surprise, though, it didn't seem to last long because the next second he had slid across the seat and was right next to her. She looked at him in shock. Then she realized he was about to kiss her again, and opened her mouth to protest. He cut her off by pressing his lips against her own. Damn it! She'd had relationships before why couldn't she stop this from happening with him? Why couldn't she break away? She'd suffocate if he didn't have to come up for air occasionally. Castle slid his hand down along the seatbelt she had strapped across her and unfastened it. It was in that brief second where her mind was clear that she stopped him by putting her hands on his chest and holding him a foot away from her.

"I told you, no," Kate pursed her lips and starred at him, "I just need a bit of space."

She took the seatbelt and refastened it. He slid back to the other side of the car looking defeated.

The precinct rolled into view rather quickly after that. Kate swung the door open and stepped out. Castle followed suit. When they reach the elevator, she pressed the button for the fourth floor. Castle climbed through the doors just as they were closing. When they opened, Ryan and Esposito were waiting.

"What have you got?" she asked quickly.

The two other detectives were obviously not paying attention. They, to her great annoyance, were staring at her. She brought her arm up and snapped her fingers in front of them.

"Hey! Let's focus on the case now," she ordered.

"Right," Ryan stammered and then recovered. "Mary and Amanda Atler are mother and daughter. Nadine Finch is a lawyer in middle New York State. Fiona Whitting is a babysitter from Philadelphia."

"I'm failing to see the problem," Kate commented with irritation.

"None of them were arrested or otherwise suspected of anything illegal. None have ever gotten into drugs or even shoplifted. They don't even have a speeding ticket," he explained, "There's absolutely nothing here to suggest that any of them did it."

"Well we know one of them did. Check them all to see if there is a possible motive, maybe something we missed," Kate instructed, "But I think we can wait until tomorrow. Go home, I don't need you guys being under rested when I need you to be sharp."

Ryan and Esposito looked somewhat relieved at this order obviously having assumed they would not be going home that night. Esposito sat down and typed a few notes on his computer while Ryan grabbed his coat and left. Esposito followed about five minutes later leaving Kate alone with Castle yet again.

"Need a ride?" Castle offered.

"No thanks Castle. Personally I think you and I have had enough with cars for one night," she commented and sat down at her desk.

"Alright Kate, but don't stay here all night," he instructed quietly, "We wouldn't want anything to happen to you to be under rested either."

She was about to say something in respect for the comment but could think of nothing to say. He turned and began to walk toward the elevator that would take him downstairs.

"Night, Castle!" she called after him gathering her bearings. Then she turned back to her computer and grasped her mouse attempting yet again to decipher the cipher.

(Later)

She was sitting at her desk staring blankly at the cipher again. Kate had taken the bus in early and got back to work. She blinked for a moment a thought having occurred to her. Receipt. That damn word of English at the bottom of the page. She remembered Castle when they were talking to the ME. He'd taken her father's wallet. When she'd looked through it the only things it had contained was a single receipt and a driver's license. She got up and made her way to where they'd been keeping the artifacts from the crime scene. Kate grabbed a pair of gloves and opened the bag containing the wallet which she pulled out. She flipped it open and took out the receipt. Then she looked at it.

It was a receipt from a liquor store, one that her dad used to go to often when he was an alcoholic. As she looked she couldn't help but feel angry at her father and herself. Why would he go back to drinking? How could she have not noticed it?

There was only one thing listed on the receipt: whiskey. She thought about the word for a moment. Then she walked quickly back to her computer. That was the key, whiskey.

"I thought I told you to go home last night,"

"I did go home last night Castle. Then I came back. Generally, that's how it works."Kate turned to face him.

"Can anyone corroborate your story?" Castle returned.

"Castle it is no concern of yours whether or not I went home last night, but judging by you probably won't leave me alone until I give you proof, Lanie drove me home last night," she answered.

Castle looked annoyed that she'd shut down his interrogation to quickly but gave her a cocky smile. Kate returned it and then looked back at her computer. Checking the clock she saw it was eight thirty. She figured Ryan and Esposito would be there soon which was good because she needed some help doing research.

"Castle?" she started.

"Hmmm," he replied.

"When exactly is this meeting you set up?" she finished.

"About one, why?"

"I was going to see if we had time to talk to Ms. Finch but we can't make it all the way to middle New York and beck before then." Kate answered and then she looked up as she heard the voice of Ryan echoing down the hallway from the elevator.

From what she heard he was thanking someone for a newspaper. She rolled her eyes knowing that the only reason Ryan read a newspaper was to look through the celebrity section. Sometimes men were pigs. She pursed her lips as Ryan sat down at his desk. Kate turned around as she heard Castle's phone ringing from behind her.

"Pumpkin, how are you," Castle asked.

"_Dad, you may want to buy any newspaper in the vicinity and find somewhere to hide it!" _Alexis' voice issued out of the phone loud enough to be heard by Kate. She raised an eyebrow at this statement.

"Why? What's in them?" Castle asked.

Kate had just glanced at her computer when she heard glass break as Ryan made his way back from the break-room. He had stopped mid-stride and his one hand was gripping the newspaper in a death grip. His mouth was slightly open in an expression that conveyed such obvious shock that she had no doubt that what Alexis had said to Castle was probably true. Whatever was in there had to do with Castle.

"I gotta go Alexis," Castle was hurriedly hanging up his cell a panicked look on his face.

"Castle…" Kate started.

"I have something I have to do," he cut her off and made his way past a confused Esposito to the elevator.

She watched him go, a frown of confusion on her face but then decided that if Castle was going to tell her he eventually would. For now there was no sense in drilling him for information. She wouldn't get any. Her computer screen was again bouncing the word "Microsoft" about. Kate touched the mouse and the screensaver disappeared.

"No… no… is that?!" Esposito was scoffing and gasping at the newspaper Ryan was holding.

Kate rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I don't know what you two are looking at, and I really don't care. We have a case; could we focus on that," She rolled her chair back and marched over to the two, snatching the newspaper from Ryan's hands.

Kate made her way back to the desk and was about to throw the paper into the garbage when she caught sight of a picture out of the corner of her eye. She stopped her hand and stared for a moment not seeing what was on the page. It was a picture that sent her mind reeling back the discussions of the previous night's long car rides, the discussion of personal lives. She should have known better than to let Castle kiss her in public. Some people would do anything for a little bit of pocket money. The picture was of Castle holding her very close to him so obviously kissing her that a blind man could have seen it. She read down the page wishing that she had not let Castle go on about the car incident before the party. Of course a driver could be bribed to disclose information. They barely made enough money to support an apartment life. Horror for a moment, flashing across her face, she read the caption. "**Castle's Newest Muse**." This was followed by the sentence

'When you think of a crime and romance novel, the first name that comes to mind is Derek Storm. The male detective's many cases quickly became best seller's adding to Richard Castle's already successful writing career. But now, for this author, it would seem fiction has become reality. Mr. Castle's latest writing endeavor is the story of a savvy and intelligent female detective. Unlike with his previous novels, Mr. Castle chose to shadow one of New York City's finest detectives. This, of course, was following the widely known investigation of several murders executed as he wrote them in his own books. Detective Kate Beckett, of the twelfth precinct and Castle's inspiration for his character Nikki Heat, is this detective. Now, it would seem that, Castle's life directly parallels his novels. Mr. Castle's latest female is this very woman. Mr. Castle has always made it widely know that one must love their characters. Apparently he really means it.' The article went on but she didn't want to read the rest knowing that the whole thing would be gossip. She put it behind her computer instead of throwing it away, and went back to her study of the cipher angry at her naïve mistake the night before.

"Beckett!!" Kate looked up to see Montgomery standing in the doorway to the detectives' office, "My office, now!"

Kate got up from her computer and followed him. She threw a warning glance at Esposito and Ryan as she passed them to let them know she wasn't going to be tolerating and of their crap. Normally she'd just threaten them but she'd had too much stress over the past five days. Kate heard a click as the door to the chief's office closed.

"Sir, give me…"

"No Beckett," Montgomery cut across her, "What is this?!" he threw the newspaper down in front of her. The page it was turned to was the same page she'd just been looking at.

"Sir, I…"

"No. You know what this is?" he paused for a breath, "This is embarrassing, to the precinct and to yourself. I don't want to be reading through the paper and realize I'm reading about an employee of my own and the author I assigned to be her shadow. I don't want to see pictures of you publicly kissing Castle and I don't want to read about…" he gestured at the article, "Personally I don't care what you do when you are not on duty but when you are try to keep a semblance that you are, in some way, professional,"

"Sir, I understand why you feel this way. Castle and I are not romantically involved, in any way. We're friends, nothing more," she corrected though she felt as though she didn't want to.

"Your current relationship status is irrelevant! I just don't want to see pictures of the two of you shoving your tongues down each other's throats," Montgomery fixed her with a glance and for a moment she couldn't help but look affronted.

"Yes, Sir," she finalized and turned to leave.

Esposito was sitting on the corner of her desk when she returned. She glared at him and then sat down in her chair. Kate glanced at the clock on her computer screen and saw that it was only nine in the morning. How the hell had her day turned bad so quickly? She cleared her mind, or at least tried to, and focused on the case. The cipher documents were still open on her desktop screen and she went back to attempting to get the message out of the words of nonsense. She had the key word, or at least she thought she did. Now she needed to know how it fit into the equation.

Someone place a hand on her shoulder and she looked over to see that Esposito was still sitting on her desk.

"Beckett,"

Kate sighed knowing this would be about the previous events.

"We here all know you've liked him from the start but really, are you sure about this? He does have a history of roping the women around him into bed and then leaving them," Esposito commented with a sort of brother-like concern.

"I can take care of myself, Esposito," she replied, "It was one kiss, nothing more. We're not together and we're not going to be. Don't ask me about it again because you really don't want to put me in a worse mood than the one I'm already in."

"Alright Boss. I'll respect your privacy. We just don't want to see you get hurt,"

Kate nodded and then turned her head as she heard footsteps echoing down the hallway from the elevator. Castle was walking toward them quickly looking flushed as though he'd just run a great distance. She considered not confronting him about it until later but decided to go for it now. Esposito walked back to his desk as she stood with a newspaper in her hand and made for Castle.

"What is this?!" She growled and shoved the newspaper hard against his chest.

"A newspaper?" he replied lamely though not without a smirk.

"I meant what's in it Castle!" she snapped, "I meant this picture!"

"I don't know anything about it except that someone must have had a camera at the party last night," Castle replied his cocky smile slipping a bit, "I'm sorry about all this Kate, but you can't say I didn't warn you."

"Well, make sure this," she gestured at the picture and corresponding article again, "doesn't happen again."

"Will do, Kate" Castle replied regaining his confidence as she backed away from him.

Kate rolled her eyes and turned back to the office. She didn't go there immediately but rather made a sojourn to get some coffee. When she returned Castle was sitting in her chair studying something intently. He was scribbling on a notepad. She came over to him and walked stealthily up behind the chair. Her eyes moved to the notes he was making and saw that he was looking at the cipher as she had earlier. He had written: key+message=cipher. This made absolutely no sense to her to begin with.

Kate placed her coffee cup silently on the corner of the desk and then leaned over the chair until her lips were right beside his ear.

"What are you doing in my chair, Castle?"

Castle gave a wild jump at the sound of her voice so close to him. She had to smile though her chest was beginning to ache again as the wear and knowledge of a long day of investigation of her father's murder set in. Yes she could try to be amusing and quick witted on the outside but it was difficult and she could feel that she would probably have another breakdown when she finally made it home that night.

Castle stood up and stepped away from the chair with a mocking bow, one of his arms outstretched in fake guidance. She glared for a moment and then took her seat only to notice her coffee was gone. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him taking a drink from the mug.

(Later)

"Turn right here," Castle directed.

"You know Castle, it would be a lot easier if you just told me where we are going," Kate snapped at him taking her eyes off the road for a moment.

"Turn right!" Castle ordered, "Now Kate, you know there would be no fun in that would there."

"We're not here to have fun; we're here to do our job," she replied.

"You know that's always been your problem. You never let go, you never relax. I think you finally calmed down for about five minutes at the party while we were dancing." Castle commented, "When are you going to realize that you can have fun while you are working?"

"Castle, my father died, he was murdered. We are currently going to see someone who might be able to tell us what the cipher that we found written on his arms says. Do you think I can relax now?!" Kate turned her gaze on him as they stopped at an intersection.

She felt herself losing control of her emotions again. She had tears clinging to her eyelashes and her voice was dangerously close to breaking.

"Kate I…"

"No Castle, I can't have fun with my job, not right now, not anytime soon," she explained.

She watched his gaze shift for a moment and then he looked out the window. She glared at him and hurriedly wiped the tears away from her cheeks. The light turned green and she stepped on the pedal to go. They got about halfway across the intersection when a car ran through the red light and she stepped firmly on the brakes to avoid hitting it. The driver flew through to the other street and continued down it.

"Jack-ass ,"she muttered quietly under her breath but when she caught sight of Castle's smirk she knew he'd heard it too.

(Later)

Kate followed Castle into a large restaurant that probably, she assumed, didn't have a single roll below twenty dollars. He seemed quite comfortable that but in her opinion she would rather they had met this person somewhere less conspicuous. Castle approached the waiter at the podium and flashed the older man a smile. Obviously this was not the first time he'd been here.

"Ah Mr. Castle," the man seemed pleased, "You would be wanting a table with a view I would imagine."

"Actually no. We," Castle turned and beckoned Kate forward, "are meeting someone here today. I'd rather we had one of you private dining rooms if you have one open."

"You know as well as I do, Mr. Castle, that we always have one open for that passing celebrity," the waiter transferred his gaze to Kate, "Ah and you must be Kate Beckett, a pleasure to meet you."

Kate opened her mouth for a moment and then nodded in acknowledgement. She was unsure how to react to the fact that the waiter knew her name. He seemed kindly enough but years of police word had taught her to be cautious.

"Follow me," the waiter began to cut across the spacious dining room and lead them to one of the doors on the other side of the room.

Once they were seated, Kate fixed Castle with a stare.

"Who else knows who I am that I don't know Castle?" she asked in annoyance.

"I'm guessing half the people in the city," Castle commented without looking up from the menu, "That's fame Katie. It's something you just learn to live with."

"You sound like you're so burdened when you say that." She chose to ignore the Katie comment though she hated the name. She could be Kate, Beckett, or Detective Beckett, but never Katie. She knew telling Castle to stop calling her Katie would only increase the number of times he did so.

"Oh, you've found my secret pain," Castle commented with mock sadness.

Kate rolled her eyes and they lapsed into silence. Her mind wandered back to her father's case. They were so close and they'd narrowed it to four suspects. She could almost taste the satisfaction now. It was just this cipher that kept bothering her and the fact that Mrs. Whitting might be involved. This person she'd known her whole life, this person who'd babysat her and her cousin. It seemed nearly impossible that she might have been involved in her father's death.

"Pardon me sir, ma'am there's a man here who says that he's looking for a Mr. Castle," the young waiter looked no older than sixteen and seemed nervous Kate observed.

"Of course," Castle commented, "Send him in."

The boy left for a few seconds.

"You know, when you said you had a friend that is a professor, for some reason I expected your friend to be another one of those relationships like you have with your designer," She commented scathingly, though it was really in surprise.

"Oh I do," Castle commented, "This guy is not the person I was talking about but my friend said she would send somebody with the information."

Kate shot him a scowl, "So we're not actually going to talk to the expert. We're just going to talk to her messenger?"

"Yes,"

"Here you are, sir," a voice came from outside and they stopped their argument turning to look at the door. Kate picked up her glass of tea. A man walked in. He was tall, taller than Castle and she felt her heart crash into her feet. She coughed in surprise and subsequently spit out her tea.

"Will!"

a/n- this story just writes itself I swear. I'm just the messenger of my subconscious mind which is forcing my hand to type all of this. I told you I still had some twists up my sleeve! How do you like that one?!?! I figured I'd mix it up a little to make the story a bit longer. Of course you always have my next "episode" to look forward to after finishing this one. Here's the title: Be Kind to Your Mummy. Think on that.

And I am the proud deliverer of the news. Today was the release of ABC's 2009 Fall line-up and guess what's in it? Castle!!!!! Praise the lord!! My atheist praying must have worked. (or something)

Tabitha

(Review people. And not just those monosyllabic ones) also I will be on vacation for two weeks and won't be able to update starting Sunday. I will however be writing and that means that chances are you will have many chapters and possibly a new story to read when I get back. I can't wait to get started writing the next one. Oh and give me you speculations on that one too. I'd love to hear what you think will happen. Who knows maybe I'll even use some of you ideas in the fic.


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